Revisiting socialization in international relations: the case of inter-party diplomacy between China and Vietnam

The inter-party relationship between the Communist Party of China and the Communist Party of Vietnam presents a fascinating yet contradictory picture to many international relations scholars given the love-hate history and ideological affinity between China and Vietnam. The aim of this article is twofold. First, it seeks to describe the nature of China’s socialization efforts toward Vietnam through Beijing’s manipulation of inter-party diplomacy with Hanoi. Second, it evaluates the impacts of China’s inter-party diplomacy on Vietnam based on how willing Hanoi is to internalize China-crafted norms and values and modify its behavior in Beijing’s favor. This article contends that China’s inter-party diplomacy with Vietnam is part of Beijing’s socialization efforts, which aim to disseminate norms and values and are supported by China’s massive material capabilities. Nevertheless, socialization is a reciprocal process, with Vietnam constantly seeking to assert its own norms and values to shape China’s behavior. In instances where inter-party channels fail to safeguard Vietnam’s national interests during conflicts with China, Hanoi may employ subtle forms of resistance to steer Beijing toward a more favorable path.