The China Sea, Vietnam and China
Study of the Southeast Asia Observatory, Benoît de Tréglodé
The close political ties between Vietnam and China, and the strong cultural links between both peoples have existed in tandem, for the Vietnamese, with a feeling of trepidation and with a profound introspection on their identity. In addition, the China Sea has become a major strategic interest for Vietnam - with its trade lanes and its wealth in hydrocarbon - and in the last decade there has been no progress in negotiations on its maritime borders with China. This paper analyses the May/June 2011 crisis taking into account two issues: China and Vietnam’s planned development projects for the South China Sea, and the ongoing modernization of their armed forces. More information
6-XII-11, centreasia.eu