Vietnam

China is the most important external partner for Vietnam, but the margin between China and the United States is less than is the case in many other Southeast Asian countries. China is the leading economic influence for Vietnam. South Korea and Japan also figure prominently as the third and fourth ranked partners for Vietnam, with South Korea the largest source of cultural influence and Japan the leading defence partner. South Korea also ranks third for economic relationships, a reflection of huge investment by South Korean conglomerates over the past decades. Vietnam’s own influence is strongest in neighbouring Cambodia and Laos.