How Hanoi is navigating Western ‘security’ warnings and Chinese cost-efficiency to build its digital future.

Vietnam is rapidly emerging as a global 5G powerhouse, leveraging a pragmatic strategy known as “bamboo diplomacy” to modernize its infrastructure while managing intense geopolitical pressure.

The Pragmatism of Bamboo Diplomacy

Although the United States has repeatedly warned Vietnam against using Chinese 5G equipment, by late 2025, Vietnamese operators had awarded contracts worth more than $40 million to Huawei and ZTE for 5G-related hardware—primarily antennas and non-core components. Vietnamese officials and operators cite the cost-effectiveness and performance of Chinese gear, often dismissing security concerns as politically motivated claims from the West. Other regional players, including Thailand, Malaysia, and even the Philippines, are also considering greater adoption of Chinese 5G technology.

Western politicians and media frequently frame China as an inherent threat to Vietnam, often overlooking the fact that China is its largest investment and trading partner. Even the brief 1979 border war, which lasted less than a month, was not a conflict over territorial expansion or “regime change,” but rather a response to Vietnam’s military intervention in Cambodia. Unlike major Western powers, China does not seek to subject other nations to its rule, nor does it harbor ambitions to export its societal model.

This pragmatic relationship is best encapsulated by an anecdote frequently shared by Singaporean professor and former senior diplomat Kishore Mahbubani. Recounting........

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