@article{021747fbd499453f8c8169630b772529,
title = "Vietnam{\textquoteright}s Perceptions and Strategies toward China{\textquoteright}s Belt and Road Initiative Expansion: Hedging with Resisting",
abstract = "China{\textquoteright}s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which was launched by Xi Jinping in 2013 seemingly draws a great picture of mutual development with a lot of promises in term of financial and technological supports to infrastructure development projects in a large number of countries. Such promises sound good to many countries including Vietnam, a developing country who is in its capital thirst. However, Vietnam{\textquoteright}s reaction to this Initiative in particular and to China{\textquoteright}s strategic intentions in general is not easy to understand. Vietnam{\textquoteright}s perceptions on the BRI have varied across many different social spectra. Based on those common understandings, Vietnam{\textquoteright}s strategies toward China and its BRI are a mixture of seemingly contradictory policies which show either their supports (bandwagonig strategy) or denials (balancing strategy) or both simultaneously. However, it is in fact hedging strategy which is a flexible combination of both bandwagoning and balancing strategies is working comprehensively in various spheres.",
author = "Vu, {Van Hoa} and Soong, {Jenn Jaw} and Nguyen, {Khac Nghia}",
note = "Funding Information: Beside the concerns about national security, the Vietnamese are worried about the issue of loans from China. To them, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with generous loans is just a bait. These loans are not cheaper than the other sources either. Excessive loans from China to build key infrastructure works may produce negative consequences for the economy and the national security. Although there has still been no project officially funded by the BRI, many of Vietnam's key projects got Chinese loans under various sources. According to a member of National Assembly of Vietnam, most of Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts of Vietnam are undertaken by Chinese contractors (Le, ). In addition, there are also many urban and highway projects that Chinese contractors won the bids such as Cat Linh-Ha Dong, Hanoi-Hai Phong, Noi Bai-Lao Cai highways and so on. However, many of these major projects with national importance caused serious problems such as the increase of investment capitals, slow progress, and environmental pollution. For example, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway plan has been delayed to be put in use 5 times and has an increase of 205% compared to initial investment capitals. This is the project most criticized by public opinions with many rhetorics such as {"}king of delay{"}, {"}a 13-km bone{"}. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.",
year = "2021",
doi = "10.1080/10971475.2020.1809818",
language = "English",
volume = "54",
pages = "56--68",
journal = "Chinese Economy",
issn = "1097-1475",
publisher = "M.E. Sharpe Inc.",
number = "1",
}