No 9, Issue 2      

Why Vietnam is being emphasized as the main subject of the acceleration of vaccine diplomacy from leader countries

Anh Tuan TRAN | Thu Ha NGUYEN | Thi Phi Yen NGUYEN

Pages 20-44

Abstract

The Covid-19 outbreak has poses a global health crisis to the world regarding the global economy, trade relations, and polarization of globalization. This pandemic also demonstrates the high rate of the vulnerability of the international community. From this moment, leadership and crisis management are being challenged towards world leaders and heads of state. Several countries are symbols for the Covid-19 pandemic contamination. On the contrary, some are put under big question mark for their leader capability due to failed policies. The US, one of the great economies and market leaders, was struggling difficultly to handle the pandemic. Although the time was hard, the vaccine development race had been launched since the first outbreak. Vaccine diplomacy shall be based on sharing and sympathy. This step means that vaccine, drug, and medical equipment will be equally distributed to less developed and developing countries in need, which do not have the technologies and capability to produce their own vaccine. Eventually, vaccine diplomacy is also used as a sub-element of public diplomacy of soft power which is to gain more influence in a specific targeted region and to enhance national branding. Vietnam is being one of the countries receiving the largest batches of vaccine from the United States (the US), European countries, Japan, and China. Why the two countries in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue group are donating tremendously to Vietnam? How will Vietnam diplomatically tackle this “Sinophobia” while China pledges to support the country in the future right after the visit of the US’s vice president Kamala Harris and during the visit of Japanese Minister of Defense Kishi Nobuo? This article will dig deeper into the implication hidden behind the tremendous generosities from leader economies.

Keywords

Vietnam, Covid-19, Vaccine diplomacy, global health, politicization

References

An, T., 2021. GDP Việt Nam quý III tăng trưởng âm 6,17%. [Online] Available at: https://vtv.vn/kinh-te/gdp-viet-nam-quy-iii-tang-truong-am-617-20210929093109998.htm [Accessed 23 October 2021].

Anholt, S., 2007. What is Competitive Identity?. In: Competitive Identity: The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, p. 22.

Anna Kobierecka, M. M. K., 2021. Coronavirus diplomacy: Chinese medical assistance and its diplomatic implications. International Politics, 08 March.

Beaty, C., 2021. Japan and Vaccine Diplomacy. [Online] Available at: https://www.csis.org/blogs/new-perspectives-asia/japan-and-vaccine-diplomacy[Accessed 26 October 2021].

Bourne, P., 1978. A Partnership for International Health Care. Public Health Reports, 93(2), p. 114–123.

Chaib, F., 2020. Shortage of personal protective equipment endangering health workers worldwide. [Online] Available at: who.int/news/item/03-03-2020-shortage-of-personal-protective-equipment-endangering-health-workers-worldwide [Accessed 27 October 2020].

Daventry, M., 2021. Hungary becomes the first country in the EU to approve a COVID-19 vaccine from China. [Online] Available at: https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/29/hungary-becomes-the-first-country-in-the-eu-to-approve-a-covid-19-vaccine-from-china [Accessed 21 09 2021].

Davies, E., 2021. Vietnam posts record GDP slump in Q3 due to COVID-19 curbs. [Online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-posts-record-gdp-slump-q3-due-covid-19-curbs-2021-09-29/ [Accessed 23 October 2021].

DP, F., 2008. Influenza Virus Samples, International Law, and Global Health Diplomacy. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 14(1), pp. 88-94.

DW, 2021. Angela Merkel says ‘every vaccine is welcome’ after Sputnik V results. [Online] Available at: https://www.dw.com/en/angela-merkel-says-every-vaccine-is-welcome-after-sputnik-v-results/a-56432676 [Accessed 21 09 2021].

Fazal, T. M., 2020. Health Diplomacy in Pandemical Times. International Organization, 74(51), pp. 79-97.

Feyerabend, F. C., 2021 . Strategic Relations Between the US and Vietnam, Germany: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung .

Gavi – The vaccine alliance, 2021. COVAX VACCINE ROLL-OUT: COUNTRY UPDATES. [Online] Available at: https://www.gavi.org/covax-vaccine-roll-out [Accessed 24 October 2021].

Higgins-Dunn, N., 2021. WHO warns countries are helping Covid thrive through inequitable vaccine distribution. [Online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/08/who-warns-inequitable-vaccine-distribution-helps-covid-thrive.html [Accessed 14 October 2021].

Hotez, P. J., 2014. “Vaccine Diplomacy”: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions.. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, June.8(6).

Hotez, P. J., 2014. Vaccine Diplomacy’’: Historical Perspectives and Future. PLoS Negl Trop, 26 June.8(6).

Kriebitz Alexander, R. M., 2021. Foreign Direct Investment Liberalization in Communist Regimes: A Theoretical Model Based on the Comparison Among China, Cuba, NorthKorea, and Vietnam. Political Studies Review, pp. 1-19.

Lee, S. T., 2021. Vaccine diplomacy: nation branding and China’s COVID 19 soft power. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy .

Lee, Y. N., 2021. This is Asia’s top-performing economy in the Covid pandemic — it’s not China. [Online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/28/vietnam-is-asias-top-performing-economy-in-2020-amid-covid-pandemic.html [Accessed 26 09 2021].

Leyen, U. v. d., 2020. EU-Vietnam trade agreement enters into force. [Online] Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_1412 [Accessed 26 October 2021].

Li, G., 2021. Nikkei COVID-19 Recovery Index. [Online] Available at: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/Nikkei-COVID-19-Recovery-Index [Accessed 22 09 2021].

Mahtani, S., 2021. Harris, in Vietnam, gets a dose of China’s challenge to the U.S.. [Online] Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/kamala-harris-vietnam-china-coronavirus/2021/08/25/77e51efa-0564-11ec-b3c4-c462b1edcfc8_story.html[Accessed 25 October 2021].

Malesky, E. J., 2021. Enhancing Research on Authoritarian Regimes through Detailed Comparisons of China and Vietnam. Problems of Post-Communism, 02 June, 68(03), pp. 163-170.

Masamichi Hoshi, R. N. a. Y. C., 2019. China scrambles to stem manufacturing exodus as 50 companies leave. [Online] Available at: https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-war/China-scrambles-to-stem-manufacturing-exodus-as-50-companies-leave[Accessed 27 09 2021].

Nussbaum, A., 2021. Macron Calls on China to Be More Transparent on Covid Shots. [Online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-04/macron-calls-on-china-to-be-more-transparent-on-covid-shots [Accessed 21 09 2021].

President Joseph R. Biden, J., 2021. Interim National Security Strategy Guidance, Washington : The White House .

Samantha Vanderslott, T. M., 2020. Health diplomacy across borders: the case of yellow fever and COVID-19. Journal of Travel Medicine, 27(5), pp. 1-3.

Sara E. Davies, S. E. A. H. a. C. M., 2014. Global Health in International Relations: Editors’ Introduction. Review of International Studies, p. 825–834.

Steinbock, D., 2018. U.S.-China Trade War and Its Global Impacts. China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies, 4(4), p. 515–542.

UK Department of Health, 2008. Health is Global: An outcomes framework for global health 2011-2015, London: Her Majesty’s Government.

World Health Organization, 2021. Status of COVID-19 Vaccines, s.l.: World Health Organization.

Zeyan Zhu, Y. Y. S. F., 2018. Trade War between China and US. China, Atlantis Press.

Zhaohui Su, D. M. X. L. B. B. S. Š. J. A., 2021. COVID-19 Vaccine Donations—Vaccine Empathy or Vaccine Diplomacy? A Narrative Literature Review. Vaccines, 9(9).

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.