U.S.-Vietnam Security Cooperation: Catalysts and Constraints

In any bilateral relationship, trust is measured by the depth and scope of defense ties, not by trade volume and investment flows. U.S.-Vietnam defense cooperation over the past 20 years has not been an exception. Despite falling behind in their economic and political relations, security cooperation between the two has been progressing slowly but firmly, serving as a foundation for overall relations to move forward. This article analyzes the various catalysts and constraints on forging U.S.-Vietnamese strategic trust. It argues that the degree of bilateral security cooperation has been shaped by a number of structural and agential factors: changes in the Asian balance of power stemming from China's rise and the U.S. pivot to Asia, convergences and divergences in national interests and threat perceptions with regard to China policy and the South China Sea disputes, and the accumulation of historical lessons. These have had a "push and pull" effect on strategic cooperation.