TTLA: US-China Strategic Competition in Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2020

Author's name: Nguyen Thu Trang
Dissertation Title: US-China Strategic Competition in Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2020
Dissertation field: International Studies
Major: International Relations Code: 9310601.01.
Name of the postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
1. Purpose and scope of the thesis
The purpose of this thesis is to focus on analyzing and clarifying the reality of US-China strategic competition in Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2020, thereby providing observations and predictions on future trends.
To clarify the research objectives, this thesis focuses on addressing the following tasks:
(i) A collection and system of theoretical foundations on strategic competition approached from theories and doctrines of international relations;
(ii) Analyzing the state of US-China strategic competition in Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2020 in the areas of politics and diplomacy, security and defense, economics and trade, and US-China strategic competition in the South China Sea;
(iii) Analyze and comment on the current state of US-China strategic competition in Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2020 and forecast future trends.
Regarding the research subject, the thesis focuses on studying the strategic competition between the US and China in Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2020.
2. Research methods used
The dissertation "The US-China Strategic Competition in Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2020" employs various methods to highlight the research problem and enhance the scientific rigor of the topic. The specific methods used are as follows:
- Historical approach: The research period for this topic is from 2009 to 2020, corresponding to 11 years. Therefore, the US-China strategic competition in Southeast Asia needs to be considered within the broader global context and the situation in the Southeast Asian region.
- Policy analysis methods are used to shed light on the strategies and foreign policies of the United States and China in Southeast Asia, contributing to a reflection of the reality of the competition.
- The geopolitical analysis method places the US-China strategic competition from the perspective of geopolitical competition and power struggles in Southeast Asia, thereby clearly revealing the strategic interests and goals of the US and China in their struggle for influence in the region.
- Logical and comparative methods: The research topic examines strategic changes and foreign policy developments of the United States and China in Southeast Asia to analyze the current state of this strategic competition in the region and, consequently, to identify future trends. Simultaneously, the research focuses on the US-China strategic competition in the South China Sea, as this is considered a clear example of the strategic competition in US-China relations in Southeast Asia.
- Analytical and synthetic methods: used to collect and evaluate source materials related to the topic, including the strategies and foreign policies of the United States and China. Specifically, the "Pivot" or "Rebalancing" policy toward the Asia-Pacific of President Barack Obama and the "Indo-Pacific: Free and Open" strategy of President Donald Trump; the "Peaceful Rise" strategy, followed by "Peaceful Development" and the "Harmonious World" strategy under President Hu Jintao; and the foreign policy under President Xi Jinping aimed at realizing the goal of "rejuvenating the great Chinese nation" within China's "Chinese Dream" through the "Belt and Road" Project, the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" Initiative, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
- Forecasting Methodology: This thesis uses forecasting methods to identify future trends in US-China strategic competition in Southeast Asia based on two analytical models: Mason's "Competition Lens" and Galtung's "Conflict Triangle".
3. Main results and conclusions
3.1. Main results
- An overview of the theoretical and practical foundations of strategic competition;
- To reconstruct a general picture of the strategic competition between the US and China in Southeast Asia from 2009 to 2020 across the fields of politics and diplomacy, security and defense, economics and trade, and strategic competition between the US and China in the South China Sea;
- Forecasting the future trends of strategic competition between the US and China in Southeast Asia.
3.2. Conclusion
- The strategic competition between the United States and China is complex and encompasses many interrelated areas: politics and diplomacy, security and defense, and economics and trade.
- Southeast Asia continues to be the fastest-growing and most dynamic region in the world, with the dominant trend being cooperation and development.
- As the intersection of two major strategic areas of China and the United States, Southeast Asia has become a crucial region determining the success or failure of each strategy; therefore, it has become a battleground and a fiercely contested area for both the US and China.
In Southeast Asia, the South China Sea is considered a key area of ​​strategic competition between the United States and China.
- The future of US-China competition does not necessarily have to lead to direct confrontation. While competition is inevitable, it is essential for both countries and the international community to ensure that this competition remains below the threshold of conflict, emphasizing cooperation rather than confrontation. The shared future of the region and the world will most likely depend on this balance.
  

1. Produce methods

2. Major results and conclusions