Vietnam's Resilient Diplomacy: Navigating Global Shifts in the Post-COVID Era

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic reconfigured the global political–economic landscape and compelled states to recalibrate foreign policy. This article shows how Vietnam has repositioned itself through a calibrated hedging strategy that bridges Realism (security–power) and Liberalism (cooperation–institutions). Using the United States, China, Russia and the Republic of Korea as core dyads, we argue that post-pandemic Vietnam simultaneously diversified growth partnerships (technology, advanced manufacturing, and health with the U.S. and ROK), preserved critical trade and supply-chain channels with China, and sustained a bounded security–energy portfolio with Russia—while elevating its role in ASEAN-centric and mega-regional frameworks (ASEAN, RCEP, CPTPP). The analysis highlights emergent pillars in health diplomacy (notably vaccines) and green transition as reinforcing mechanisms. Taken together, ‘Bamboo Diplomacy’—deep roots, sturdy trunk, flexible branches—has allowed Vietnam to avoid hard alignment and single-partner dependence, consolidate strategic autonomy, and strengthen its profile as an influential middle power in the Indo-Pacific.