Regional Balancing Strategy and Vietnam–Japan Maritime Security Cooperation in Shaping the Emerging Security Order in The South China Sea

Abstract

Amid escalating strategic competition among great powers in the Indo-Pacific, the South China Sea has emerged not only as a focal point of sovereignty disputes but also as a testing ground for new regional security configurations. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of offensive realism and soft balancing, this article examines maritime security cooperation between Vietnam and Japan from 2007 to 2023 as a representative case of non-aligned soft balancing amid shifting power structures. It argues that: (1) bilateral cooperation has evolved from strategic dialogue into institutionalized maritime engagement, contributing to the emergence of a new, rules-based security architecture; and (2) Vietnam’s “Four No’s” defense policy—far from acting as an obstacle—has served as a strategic navigation mechanism, enabling institutionalized cooperation while preserving national autonomy. Employing case-study analysis and policy evaluation methodologies, the article elucidates how the Vietnam–Japan partnership reflects an emerging model of security collaboration for non-aligned states navigating an increasingly fluid regional order.