ASEAN-VIETNAMESE RELATIONS IN THE POST-COLD WAR ERA

Abstract

This Academic Exercise examines the relations between ASEAN and Vietnam over the two historical periods, with special emphasis on the post-Cold war era. It is argued that the structure of the global balance of power, and changes in great power relationships especially those involving the United states, Soviet Union and China, have a critical bearing on the interaction between ASEAN and Vietnam, both during the Cold War and in the post-Cold War era. The global Cold War politics greatly polarised Southeast Asia into two ideological camps, epitomised by the confrontation between ASEAN and Vietnam. The regional conflicts in southeast Asia such as the Cambodian crisis blended with the global rivalry between the superpowers. In addition, the fear of communism within the ASEAN states further exacerbated the tension between ASEAN and Vietnam. The end of Cold War as a result of the decline in great power rivalry and the emergence of multipolarity, removed many of the constraints on ASEAN-Vietnamese interaction, which in turn induced greater cooperation in ASEAN-Vietnamese relations. This is especially evident in the political, security and economic fields. Although differences exist between ASEAN and Vietnam, such as the difference in political systems and the level of economic development, they are not critical enough to hinder cooperation between ASEAN and Vietnam in the post-Cold war era.