Southeastern calculation: Shoigu engaged in strengthening partnership with Vietnam

Western sanctions and the geopolitical confrontation between the powers in Southeast Asia are the main obstacles to bringing Russian-Vietnamese cooperation to a new level. Nevertheless, even in these realities, Moscow and Hanoi manage to maintain very close partnership relations, which have had a solid foundation since Soviet times. Earlier this week, a large Russian delegation headed by Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu arrived in the republic. On December 9, he held talks with the country's leadership, including the Secretary General of the Communist Party and the Prime Minister.

Strong ties between Russia and Vietnam

A Russian delegation led by Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu landed in Hanoi on the evening of December 8, where, in addition to Ambassador Gennady Bezdetko, he was met by representatives of the local Ministry of Public Security. The main program of the working visit started the next day, as it should in such cases, with a cultural part and visits to places that are of particular importance to the host country.

Sergei Shoigu first laid a wreath at the Memorial to the Fallen Heroes, and then at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum — these are the main symbols of the country's independence. At the same time, the Russian delegation was given a short tour — during it it was possible to see the famous House on stilts, where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked, and even feed the local carp, which Shoigu did.

Starting a working visit from these places is not an accidental gesture, since it is the strong historical connection between Vietnam and the USSR in the 20th century that is considered "a cultural and political resource that helps maintain goodwill" in these turbulent times, said Alexander Korolev, Deputy Director of the Central Research Institute of Higher School of Economics.

Sergei Shoigu, during consultations with Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang, returned to the origins of the historical friendship between Moscow and Hanoi, calling the socialist republic "a trusted partner, whose relations have passed the test of time and withstood severe trials during the struggle of the Vietnamese for freedom and independence." The Secretary of the Security Council also recalled the friendship of peoples in a conversation with the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, to whom he also conveyed the best wishes from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A friendly atmosphere prevailed throughout the negotiation process. Vietnam remembers the Soviet Union's assistance in the war of 1965-1975, and assistance in the construction of industry after 1975. The leadership of the Republic often emphasizes the importance of the USSR, and this translates into modern diplomacy, Korolev said.

— That's why Russians are treated well in the country. At the household level, the attitude is much better than, for example, towards the Chinese and Americans," the source, who wished to remain anonymous, tells Izvestia.

However, it is difficult to feel this in practice. The Lenin monument in the city center certainly strengthens the Russian-Vietnamese brotherhood, but the initial excitement is slightly dampened by young football players and skaters who practice their tricks and techniques at the monument.

Besides, Vietnamese people are not particularly inclined to speak foreign languages, and few people know Russian. Although there are two Russian-language schools in Hanoi, and according to the Izvestia source, plans remain to build a Russian school in the capital. Pushkin's language is mostly spoken by those who received education in the Russian Federation. Some of them are military and government officials.

On December 9, the officer's knowledge of Russian was refreshed by trying her best to line up Russian journalists. After the Vietnamese side realized the futility of this venture, the host side managed to at least organize the Russian delegation in a column before the wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial to the Fallen Heroes.

How to live in Hanoi

Despite the "red symbols" throughout the city, the atmosphere in Hanoi is hardly socialist. There are many signs of famous brands in the city, which are more likely to identify with the world of Western capitalism. And the hammer and sickle flags are literally on the same streets where fashion boutiques are located, which have been repeatedly accused of violating workers' rights. At the same time, local youth are massively photographed against their background. During the day, especially at night, young Vietnamese women and Vietnamese come (some with tripods) to the shop windows in order to get at least this way closer to the world of more affluent fellow citizens.

— This trend is certainly a manifestation of the stratification of society, which has only been growing lately, — explained the interlocutor of Izvestia.

But, to be fair, Van Myeu, the first university in Vietnam, which Sergei Shoigu visited on December 9, is also considered a favorite place for young people. Here, young people take photos in traditional clothes.

The feeling of social injustice in the country intensified when people sleeping on the street met an elderly woman in a traditional Non-la hat, who asked for food from Russian journalists. However, there are not many homeless people in the capital — horizontal family ties are common in the country, and it is generally accepted here to take care of elderly or poor relatives. However, such collectivism is inherent in many Asian countries.

According to Izvestia's interlocutor, socialism in Vietnam is rather "a kind of signboard, a tribute to the past." For Vietnam, communism was initially not so much a socio-economic project as an ideology of the struggle for independence.

Ho Chi Minh combined Marxism-Leninism with anti-colonialism and national consolidation. Therefore, Vietnamese communism is much less dogmatic and initially focused on practicality and mobilization of society, said Alexander Korolev.

Since the late 1980s, Vietnam has been operating a "Doomoy" program - market reforms while maintaining the party's monopoly. Vietnam has become one of the most open economies in the region. At the same time
The Communist Party maintains tight political control. But the bureaucracy is more "technocratic" compared to China, with a stronger emphasis on the private sector and export development.

"It resembles China, but in a milder, less ideologized form,— Korolev summed up.

Prospects for cooperation between Russia and Vietnam

This approach opens additional doors for Vietnam's cooperation with the Russian Federation. It would be naive to believe that Russian-Vietnamese relations are built only around the past. The fact that the two countries have serious prospects for increasing cooperation in the future is evidenced, among other things, by the delegation that arrived in Hanoi with Shoigu. It included representatives of special services, law enforcement and law enforcement agencies, as well as the economic and financial sector. At the same time, as the Secretary of the Russian Security Council noted, one of the objectives of the visit is to discuss building a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The bilateral trade turnover in 2024 reached about $6 billion, but the potential for cooperation is much greater. By the way, back in 2021, this figure was higher. According to an informed interlocutor of Izvestia, Vietnam is complying with the sanctions, which, of course, complicates the pace of bilateral cooperation. At the same time, issues of trade, economic, energy, financial and banking cooperation were discussed at a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Tin.

— Of course, if we talk about plans, they imply a much higher growth in trade turnover and the development of new projects in various fields. These are, of course, energy, including nuclear power, agriculture, and food," Shoigu said.

Earlier, the parties had already signed a memorandum on the Ninh Thuan-1 NPP. This agreement is aimed at resuming the project for the construction of the first plant in the country, which Hanoi decided to unfreeze. Vietnam's actions are logical — if the authorities want to attract large IT giants, create data centers on their territory and withstand competition in the region, then the republic needs more energy.

Nevertheless, security and political cooperation between the Russian Federation and Vietnam now seems to prevail over economic cooperation.

— Our consultations are taking place in the context of the deteriorating security situation in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. In order to preserve stability and predictability in our common Eurasian space, Russia is promoting the initiative to create an architecture of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia, put forward by President Vladimir Putin," Shoigu said at the Ministry of Public Security.

According to him, one of its elements is "strengthening the Asean-centric system, which is currently being tested for strength." Meanwhile, during a conversation with the party's Secretary General, Lam Shoigu, he also discussed issues related to the Russian—US summit in Alaska, but in a closed mode from the media.

Russia and Vietnam generally share views on a multipolar world and the role of the Global South in international relations, said Pavel Shaternikov, a junior researcher at IMEMO RAS. In particular, the republic joined BRICS as a partner country in 2025.

However, the country is in a difficult situation amid the geopolitical confrontation in Southeast Asia. According to Shaternikov, the United States is trying to separate ASEAN from China by using the South China Sea theme and scaring Hanoi with Beijing's strengthening. And China, in turn, is increasingly tying the countries of the region to itself with the help of economic levers. Vietnam specifically faces a dilemma here: either cooperate with the Chinese for money, but sooner or later give up its position in the South China Sea, or cooperate with the Americans in the field of security, but there is a risk of not receiving funds for development and too much confrontation in the region, the expert said.

— Therefore, it is very undesirable to join both of them. To prevent this from happening, we need to cooperate with many other countries, including the Russian Federation, which, unfortunately, is not a country of the first magnitude, but an important element of ensuring regional stability," Shaternikov continued.

Russia remains critically important to Vietnam in the field of military cooperation. However, after 2014, and especially since 2022, against the background of the conflict in Ukraine and subsequent sanctions against the Russian Federation, Vietnam has pursued an active policy of diversification, increasing purchases from partners such as China, the United States, the Czech Republic and Israel. He seeks to reduce future dependence, which will gradually transform Russia's role from an uncontested partner into one of the most important, added Elena Polltsina, senior researcher at the Center for Vietnam and ASEAN Studies at the ICSA RAS.

But even despite all the difficulties, Vietnam and the Russian Federation coordinate their actions in the fight against terrorism, cyber and transnational crime, as well as drug trafficking. In addition, the countries have recently signed a memorandum of cooperation in the fight against corruption. Drug trafficking is a well—known problem for Vietnam, as it borders the states of the so-called "golden triangle" (some sources include the northeastern regions of Vietnam), where opium is produced on a large scale in mountainous areas. Extremist groups that advocate the creation of a "Degar state" in the Central Highlands are also active in the country, primarily in the province of Daklak. The largest attack occurred in 2023, when the police headquarters was attacked. And such challenges are well known to the Russian Federation, whose experience in countering these threats is interesting to Hanoi.

Now the main task for the Russian Federation and Vietnam is not to forget about the past, but to focus more on the future and new projects.