Foreign Policy of Major Powers in the Indo-Pacific Region
Authors: Tran Nam Tien - Nguyen Tang Nghi (Co-Editors)
The world is undergoing profound and landmark changes since the end of the Cold War. Over the past two decades, the world has witnessed a historic shift from the Atlantic coast to the Indo-Pacific region. This shift is reflected not only in economic growth figures but also in the density of security hotspots and vital maritime corridors, and the Indo-Pacific has become the world's "geopolitical center of gravity" with the most intense conflicts of interest. The essence of the current geopolitical shift is manifested through the rise of new poles, creating a future multipolar world associated with the Indo-Pacific strategic space. It can be said that the Indo-Pacific region is currently the convergence point for the world's leading powers: the United States, China, Russia, India, Japan, and the dynamic ASEAN bloc. Furthermore, since 2017, the EU and key European countries such as the UK, France, and Germany have also made efforts to engage deeply in the Indo-Pacific region. The increasing convergence of interests among powers both within and outside the region is fueling the strategic competition of major powers, most notably the U.S.-China strategic competition that began in 2017. The U.S.-China strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region is not merely in the economic-trade field but is a comprehensive confrontation on multiple fronts. In the security and military fields, the U.S. and China have formed and strengthened new multilateral mechanisms such as QUAD (U.S., Japan, India, and Australia) or AUKUS (U.S., UK, and Australia) to counter the growing influence of China through regional initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to global initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and most recently, the Global Governance Initiative. By 2025, the Indo-Pacific region is falling into a "Security Dilemma," where one side's efforts to enhance security are perceived by the other as a threat, leading to a quiet but fierce arms race.
Based on this awareness, the Faculty of History and International Relations, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City organized the National Scientific Conference: "2025 Indo-Pacific Security - Political Dialogue and Forecasts". The conference attracted the attention and submission of papers from experts, scientists, and managers from domestic universities such as: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Hanoi; University of Sciences, University of Education, and School of International Studies - Hue University; The University of Danang; University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City; Saigon University; Fulbright University Vietnam; University of Economics and Finance Ho Chi Minh City; Open University Ho Chi Minh City; Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology; Nguyen Tat Thanh University; Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam - Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Region II Academy - Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics;... as well as research institutes in Hanoi such as: Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, Institute of History, Institute for South Asian, West Asian and African Studies,... along with many other units across the country.
Papers submitted to the Conference focus on three main groups of issues:
I. GENERAL ISSUES OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY - POLITICS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION BY 2025.
1. The changing world landscape and the formation of a "Network of intertwined relationships" order in the Indo-Pacific region (Dr. Hoang Hue Anh)
2. Continental powers and maritime powers through the historical lens in the current Indo-Pacific Order (Dr. Dao Minh Hong)
3. Strategic movements in the Indo-Pacific in 2025: Reshaping the regional security architecture and implications for Vietnam (Dr. Nguyen Van Duan)
4. New power structure in the Indo-Pacific 2020-2030: From "soft bipolarity" to "multi-axis competition" (MSc. Huynh Ho Dai Nghia)
5. ASEAN in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's policy adjustments from early 2025 towards Southeast Asia (Dr. Trinh Diep Phuong Vu)
6. ASEAN's conflict resolution role in the case of Cambodia - Thailand in 2025 (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ha Anh Tuan)
7. Challenges for ASEAN from intra-bloc conflicts: The case of the 2025 Thailand - Cambodia conflict (Dr. Le Thi Ngoc Han, MSc. To Hai Dang)
8. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) race: How competition in UAV development among powers is reshaping the Indo-Pacific security landscape (Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, MSc. Nguyen Ngoc Vinh Phuc)
9. The influence of artificial intelligence on the defense strategies of major powers in the Indo-Pacific region (MSc. Ha Thi Nga)
10. Contradictions between international counter-terrorism cooperation and the principle of non-interference in internal affairs: Practical cases and suggestions for Vietnam (MSc. Nguyen Tran Anh Thu)
11. Indo-Pacific regional security structure in the 2025 power shift: Vietnam's countermeasures (Dr. Nguyen Thai Giao Thuy)
12. Future scenarios for the regional security structure: Multipolarization or Polarization? (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Xuan Hiep, MSc. Le Hoang Kiet, Nguyen Tran Hoai Dong)
13. The security - political landscape in the Indo-Pacific region in 2025: Impacts on the world order, the region, and some proposals for Vietnam (Colonel Hoang Van Canh)
II. STRATEGIES AND FOREIGN POLICIES OF POWERS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION BY 2025: ADJUSTMENTS AND IMPACTS ON REGIONAL SECURITY - POLITICS.
14. China and the "Chinese Order" (Dr. Nguyen Xuan Cuong)
15. China's grey-zone tactics at sea: Manifestations and impacts on maritime security order in the East Sea and the Indian Ocean (Master Candidate. Pham Huynh Dan Thanh)
16. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy in 2025: Continuity, adjustment, or fundamental change? (Dr. Vo Thi Kim Thao, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Hien)
17. U.S. unilateral policy in the Trump 2.0 era and Indo-Pacific security from the perspective of Offensive Realism (Master Candidate. Duong Thi Cat My)
18. U.S. foreign policy under Trump 2.0 and relations with allies in the Indo-Pacific region (Dr. Nguyen Thu Hanh)
19. Trump 2.0 foreign policy: Risk of eroding U.S. soft power structure in the Asia-Pacific region (Dr. Ngo Thi Bich Lan)
20. U.S. strategy towards China in Southeast Asia in the 2009-2020 period from "Competition" to "Strategic Competition" (Dr. Nguyen Thu Trang)
21. U.S. strategic communications on the Indo-Pacific region: Free and Open (Dr. Vu Tuan Anh, Nguyen Duc Phuc)
22. U.S. force aggregation trend in the Indo-Pacific region under President Donald Trump 2.0 (Dr. Pham Thi Yen)
23. India's policy in the Indo-Pacific region under the Narendra Modi administration (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh)
24. India's strategic adjustment towards the Indo-Pacific region and suggestions for Vietnam (Dr. Le Thi Hang Nga, Master Candidate. Vu Thi Huong Giang)
25. Russia's "Pivot" to Asia strategy and its impacts on the Indo-Pacific region (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Hai Dang)
26. The Russian Federation's Look East policy in Southeast Asia in the context of 21st-century global competition (MSc. Phan Thi Anh Thu, Dr. Ha Trong Nghia, Nguyen Minh Thuc)
27. Japan's policy in the Indo-Pacific region in 2025: Continuing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy with adaptation in the new context (Dr. Tran Hoang Long, MSc. Nguyen Le Thy Thuong)
28. Japan's defense and security diplomacy strategy in the Indo-Pacific region in 2025 (Dr. Nguyen Tuan Binh, Dr. Nguyen Dinh Co)
29. France's Indo-Pacific strategy: From strategic ambition to implementation practice (MSc. Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung)
30. France - India - United Arab Emirates relations and Western Indian Ocean regional maritime security (2023-2025) (Master Candidate. Nguyen Tu Minh Khue)
31. Security dilemma in the UK's pivot policy in the Indo-Pacific in the post-Brexit period (2021 - 2025) (Master Candidate. Nguyen Thi Nha Linh)
32. The role of non-regional actors in the Indo-Pacific regional security architecture: A case study of the United Kingdom (MSc. Tran Xuan Bao Long, Pham Duc Thang)
III. VIETNAM'S STRATEGY AND FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS THE NEW DYNAMICS OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY - POLITICS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION BY 2025.
33. Research on Vietnam's international integration in the new situation (Prof. Dr. Hoang Khac Nam)
34. Positioning Vietnam's strategy in the Indo-Pacific regional security environment in 2025 (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Do Thi Thuy)
35. Vietnam's policy adjustment strategy in U.S.-China competition viewed from the Hedging theory (Dr. Nguyen Tang Nghi)
36. Vietnam's current major power balancing strategy from the Neorealism perspective (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Nam Tien)
37. Vietnam's foreign policy on Indo-Pacific regional security issues (Dr. Doan Ngoc Tuan)
38. Vietnam's defense dialogue and security diplomacy with strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific region (Dr. Le Tung Lam, Dr. Nguyen Ha Trang)
39. Local-level international cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and perspectives from Vietnamese localities (Dr. Do Phuong Thao)
