Interpreting Vietnam’s China policy from the perspective of role theory: independent role versus interactive role

Abstract

Literature of small state’s foreign policy-making has mostly focused on the structural factors and less on the perceptions of the weak state. This article adopts a cross-level analysis framed by role theory to investigate Vietnam’s China policy. Two role conceptions are provided to illustrate Vietnam’s management of bilateral relations with China. The main demarcation of these two roles lies in their perceptions of hierarchy embedded in the asymmetric relations. The independent role is ego-driven and identity based that it views hierarchy as mainly the discrepancy of material power. By contrast, the interactive role is relational oriented and interprets hierarchy from the angle of distribution of responsibilities; the higher role expectation of the other actor and the pursuit of relational security are especially emphasized by this interactive role. Finally, this article utilizes the case of South China Sea dispute to explain how and why inter-role conflict and domestic role contestation occurred.