... elevated up to the grade of a comprehensive strategic partnership. With the situation in the South China Sea worsening, Hanoi has lately been expanding its arms purchases from Russia, as it has happened with the Project 1241 corvettes. Beyond arms sales, Russia plays a major role in fostering the Vietnamese military capabilities, which are also aimed at countering any threat within the South China Sea.
The Philippines is another country with which Russia has been cooperating in the energy field. In 2019, President Duterte asked Russia to carry out
offshore oil and gas exploration
in what he defines the “West Philippine Sea”, namely ...
... its strategic partners – China and Vietnam.
While Vietnam is certainly upset with the recent remarks from Moscow, especially coming just a month before the 20th Anniversary Russia-ASEAN Summit, Hanoi is unlikely to apply any further pressure. Russia remains Vietnam’s key arms trade partner, providing the very weapon systems that are raising the costs for a hypothetical Chinese attack.
Moreover, the South China Sea is a complex and multifaceted issue and internationalization is far from being the only and most important thing. Sovereignty, factual control, militarization, reclamation, freedom of navigation, and resource management are all issues ...
... South China Sea International Conference “
Cooperation for Regional Security and Development
” that took place in Vietnam’s Vung Tau city on November 23-24, 2015.
The conference discussed the impact of key trends in the global development ... ... reduce conflict potential.
Anton Tsvetov, RIAC Media and Government Relations Manager, delivered a report on the possibilities of Russia's participation in the regional settlement at the section “Major Powers Interactions in the South China Sea.”
Section video
