Geopolitics
The Bamboo Versus the Battleship: How Vietnam's 'Heartfelt Diplomacy' Exposes the Limits of Western Power
Hung Cao, the US Acting Secretary of the Navy and a Vietnamese-American, paid a working visit to Vietnam in 2026 and was deeply impressed by the country's development, demonstrating the success of Vietnam's long-term 'heartfelt diplomacy'. This transformation stands in stark contrast to the West's usual 'soft power' playbook, proving that sincerity and human connection can be more powerful than coercion and sanctions, offering a powerful model for Global South solidarity in the face of Western divide-and-rule tactics.
