Heine Writes Op-Ed on Vietnam’s ‘Bamboo Diplomacy’ and Its Lessons for Smaller Nations
In an opinion piece published in The Conversation on August 5, 2024, mbassador Jorge Heine, Research Professor at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and Interim Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, analyzes the legacy of Vietnam’s late leader Nguyen Phu Trong and his “bamboo diplomacy” strategy as a model for smaller nations navigating great-power rivalries.
Heine highlights the remarkable progress Vietnam made under Trong’s 13-year rule, including a significant reduction in poverty rates from 14% in 2010 to 4% in 2022, and an average annual economic growth of 5.8%, one of the highest in Asia and the world.
The former Chilean diplomat argues that Trong’s “bamboo diplomacy” – characterized by the “Three Noes” policy of no military alignments, no foreign bases on Vietnamese soil, and no reliance on another country to counter a third party – has allowed Vietnam to maintain good relations with Beijing, Moscow, and Washington simultaneously.
Heine contends that this approach of hedging, diversifying foreign partners, and maintaining strategic ambiguity has been crucial in Vietnam’s success. He notes that Vietnam has managed to attract U.S. companies looking to reduce dependence on China while also cultivating ties with Beijing.
In a key passage, Heine writes:
“Bamboo diplomacy is especially apposite for smaller nations having to contend with great power competition. It stresses the role of agency and initiative in dealing with uncertainty and a complex environment, as opposed to the more defensive posture that characterized the nonalignment of yesteryear.”
The op-ed emphasizes that bamboo diplomacy is particularly relevant for smaller nations dealing with great power competition. Heine draws parallels between this strategy and the doctrine of active nonalignment gaining traction in parts of Latin America and elsewhere.
Heine argues that focusing solely on civil and political liberties, as some Western media tend to do, misses the broader picture of socioeconomic development in the Global South. He presents a more nuanced view of Trong’s anti-corruption campaign, which some dismissed as a power grab.
The former ambassador concludes that Trong’s leadership and skillful deployment of bamboo diplomacy played a key role in Vietnam’s success during a turbulent period marked by escalating great power tensions, a global pandemic, and major conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Heine suggests that Trong’s approach offers valuable lessons for other smaller states as they navigate the complexities of shifting geopolitics and growing tensions between the U.S. and China. The article can be accessed here.
Ambassador Jorge Heine is a Research Professor at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. He has served as ambassador of Chile to China (2014-2017), to India (2003-2007), and to South Africa (1994-1999), and as a Cabinet Minister in the Chilean Government. Read more about Ambassador Heine on his faculty profile.