Challenges for Vietnam in protecting South China Sea sovereignty and interests

The sovereignty disputes between Vietnam and various claimant states in the South China Sea has long posed a threat to Vietnam’s territorial integrity and national interests. Despite having ample historical evidence and legal basis to assert its sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Archipelagos, Vietnam inevitably faces challenges in safeguarding its sovereignty and national interests in these waters. What are these challenges, and how can they be addressed? Through comprehensive analysis, the research identifies five challenges for Vietnam: pressure from China on Vietnam, deadlock in the Code of Conduct negotiations between ASEAN and China, the involvement of major powers, anti-China sentiment in Vietnam, and Vietnam’s limited maritime governance capacity. Consequently, the study suggests several solutions to proactively protect Vietnam’s sovereignty and interests in the South China Sea, including the urgent need for Vietnam to develop and perfect its protest laws.