Vietnam’s President Strengthens Ties With Japan Amid South China Sea Tensions

Vietnam's President Vo Van Thuong (R) and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (L) arrive for a document exchange ceremony and joint press conference after their meeting at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo on November 27, 2023. (Photo by Richard A. Brooks / POOL / AFP) Photo by RICHARD A. BROOKS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong’s recent visit to Japan has highlighted the Southeast Asian country’s growing importance among nations concerned about Beijing’s behavior, including its maritime claims in the South China Sea.

Located in the eastern part of the Indochina Peninsula, Vietnam shares borders with China, Laos, and Cambodia and has coastlines along the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea.