What level of relationship is the Vietnam-US comprehensive strategic partnership at?

On the afternoon of September 10, during US President Joe Biden's state visit to Vietnam, the leaders of the two countries agreed to upgrade the Vietnam-US relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Thus, the relationship between the two countries has been upgraded from a "Comprehensive Partnership" - skipping the "Strategic Partnership" level - straight to the "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" level.

Vietnam has comprehensive strategic partnerships with five countries.

With the above developments, as of September 2023, Vietnam has built and upgraded strategic partnerships and comprehensive strategic partnerships with the following countries:

-5 comprehensive strategic partners:China (upgraded relations in 2008), Russia (2012), India (2016), South Korea (2022), US (2023).

In June 2008, during an official visit to China, General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and General Secretary and President of China Hu Jintao issued a Joint Statement between Vietnam and China to establish a "comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership" based on the 16-word motto of "friendly neighbors, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, and looking toward the future" and the spirit of "four goods": "good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, and good partners".

-More than 10 strategic partners including:Japan, Spain (2009); UK (2010); Germany (2011); Italy, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and France (2013); Malaysia and Philippines (2015); Australia (2018); New Zealand (2020).

Besides,Vietnam has comprehensive partnerships with more than 10 countries:Chile, Brazil and Venezuela (2007); Argentina (2010); USA, Denmark (2013); Myanmar and Canada (2017); Hungary (2018); Brunei and the Netherlands (2019)...

The highest level in Vietnam's diplomatic partnership hierarchy

In the article "On the current framework of Vietnam's strategic partnership" published onCommunist Magazine, author Nguyen Thi Thin (Diplomatic Academy) pointed out that the first strategic partnership appeared in 1992 (between the US and Türkiye) and the number of these relationships is increasing.

Strategic Partnershipis a form of relationship of great importance and strategic, long-term nature between countries or between countries and international organizations. Some researchers believe that this is a new model of association in international relations, which has become popular since the Cold War.

Due to the multilateral and diversified nature of international relations, strategic partnerships are expressed in forms such as: strategic partnership, comprehensive strategic partnership, selective strategic partnership in each field...

For example, in addition to the strategic partnership and comprehensive strategic partnership with the above countries, Vietnam also has a strategic partnership on climate change response and water management with the Netherlands, bringing bilateral cooperation in this field to the highest level.

In a strategic partnership, the participating parties all have the need to strengthen cooperation, respect and pay more attention to each other's strategic interests, have extensive cooperation, connect interests and move towards strategic trust.

Meanwhile, with a comprehensive strategic partnership, the parties identify long-term interests, support each other and promote extensive and comprehensive cooperation in all areas of mutual benefit, from trade, investment to technology, energy... At the same time, the parties build mutual trust at the strategic level.

On the comment pageFulcrum.sgDr. Le Hong Hiep (ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute Singapore) said that comprehensive strategic partnership is the highest level in Vietnam's diplomatic partnership hierarchy. Vietnam establishes comprehensive strategic partnerships with countries that are considered to be of great importance to its security, prosperity and international position.