Vietnam’s Relations with China – A Multifaceted Partnership

Vietnam’s relationship with China is of paramount importance for its development and security. Although much outside attention is focused on the disputes between the two countries in the South China Sea, the relationship is much broader and multifaceted than these disputes alone. The long historical interaction between the two countries is a reference point for those who highlight long periods of collaboration as well as for those who focus on periods of China’s control and attacks against Vietnam. The close cultural and political links both historically and in modern times through the leading rule of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) have cultivated stronger ties between the two countries. The complexities of this relationship can be formulated as follows for Vietnam: China is Vietnam’s major collaborative partner, while at the same time, its major geo-strategic challenge.