Nations Compete to Play the ‘Vietnam Card’ Amid US-China Geopolitics

After China recently increased its aggression against the Philippines in the South China Sea, Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Vietnam, where he signed multiple agreements. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is seeking warm ties with Vietnam in the wake of geopolitical challenges. On Dec. 12, Mr. Xi declared that China-Vietnam relations had been upgraded to a “community of shared future.” The two countries signed 37 agreements, including one that will increase China’s financial support for cross-border railroad construction. As Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar have joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Vietnam has remained hesitant, fearing that it could be seen as an endorsement of China’s expansionist and bullying conduct....