TTLV: New US force-building mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific (2021-2024)

      INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name: Nguyen Thi Nhu Quynh 2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: October 16, 2000

4. Place of birth: Quang Ninh

5. Decision on student admission No. 5626/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023, by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in the training process: None

7. Thesis title: New mechanisms for building US forces in the Indo-Pacific (2021-2024)

8. Major: International Relations; Code: 8310601.01

9. Scientific supervisor:

Dr. Nghiem Tuan Hung, Institute for European and American Studies

Dr. Pham Thi Thu Huyen, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

10. Summary of the thesis results:

Thesis"New US Power-Building Mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific (2021–2024)"This thesis systematizes the theoretical basis and clarifies the practical implementation of US force-building mechanisms under President Joe Biden. Based on the application of international relations theories, the thesis establishes the concept of force-building mechanisms."It is the way in which policies, resources, and actions among actors in international relations are organized and coordinated, expressed in various flexible forms, in order to balance power or protect common strategic interests."This is a new theoretical contribution, supplementing traditional approaches that tend to focus on the mobilization of forces as a process.

From a practical perspective, the thesis has classified the system of US force-building mechanisms in the region into three groups: bilateral (US-India, US-Philippines, US-Papua New Guinea), small groups (AUKUS, US-Japan-South Korea, US-Japan-Philippines), and multilateral (Quad, IPEF, PBP), thereby clarifying the dynamics, forms, objectives, and specific operational characteristics of each group of mechanisms.

The thesis also identifies five prominent characteristics of the power-building mechanisms in the 2021–2024 period, including: diversity, counterbalancing China, integration of traditional and non-traditional security, flexibility and informality, and expanded partnerships. The thesis also points out four main development trends in the coming period: strengthening economic and technological cooperation, expanding security networks, promoting multilateralism, and increasing soft deterrence.

Furthermore, the study analyzes the impact of these mechanisms on the regional security structure and Vietnam's foreign policy, while also forecasting the trend of adjusting the US strategy of aligning forces in the context of changing internal US politics. These theoretical and practical contributions provide an important basis for identifying strategic dynamics and formulating flexible policy responses for Vietnam in the region.

11. Practical applications:

The research findings of this thesis can contribute to supporting research, teaching, and foreign policy planning. The specific classification of US force deployments in the Indo-Pacific region helps researchers, policymakers, and diplomats better identify the strategic dynamics, operational structures, and security and political consequences of each cooperation model. The research results of this thesis can be used as a reference in strategic analysis, policy forecasting, and determining appropriate responses for Vietnam in the context of increasingly intense strategic competition among major powers in the region.

12. Future research directions:

Based on the research results, several directions for further research can be suggested, such as:

(1) Comparative analysis between the US and China's force-building mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific region to better identify similarities and differences in strategic approaches;

(2) In-depth study of the role of middle-sized countries (such as Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, etc.) in the new power structure;

(3) Analyze the influence of non-traditional factors (such as cybersecurity, climate change, high-tech supply chains) in designing the mechanisms for gathering forces of major countries;

13. Published works related to the thesis:

Nguyen Thi Nhu Quynh (2025), “Multilateral force-building mechanisms of the US in the Indo-Pacific region 2021-2024”,Asia-Pacific Economic Journal, No. 1 (686), July 2025, pp. 9-14.

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name: Nguyen Thi Nhu Quynh 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: October 16, 2000 4. Place of birth: Quang Ninh Province

5. Admission decision number: 5626/QD-XHNV Dated December 29, 2023

6. Changes in academic process: No

7. Official thesis title: The US' New Force Aggregation Mechanism in Indo-Pacific (2021-2024)

8. Major: International Relations 9. Code: 8310601.01

10. Supervisors: Dr. Nghiem Tuan Hung, Institute for Europeans and Americas

Dr. Pham Thi Thu Huyen, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

11. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

The thesis“The US' New Force Aggregation Mechanism in Indo-Pacific (2021-2024)”systematically organizes the theoretical foundations and clarifies the practical implementation of US force aggregation mechanisms under President Joe Biden's administration. Drawing upon international relations theories, the concept conceptualizes force aggregation mechanisms as“institutionalized or flexible modes of organizing and operating the coordination of policies, resources, and actions among actors in international relations, expressed through various adaptable forms, aimed at balancing power or safeguarding shared strategic interests.”This constitutes a novel theoretical contribution, complementing traditional approaches that have dominated force aggregation as a mere process.

From a practical perspective, the thesis categorizes the US force aggregation mechanisms in the region into three groups: bilateral (eg, US–India, US–Philippines, US–Papua New Guinea), minilateral (eg, AUKUS, US–Japan–South Korea, US–Japan–Philippines), and multilateral (eg, Quad, IPEF, PBP). Through this typology, the study elucidates the driving forces, modalities, objectives, and operational characteristics unique to each type of mechanism.

The thesis further identifies five prominent features of US force aggregation mechanisms during 2021–2024: (1) security diversity in forms of engagement, (2) counterbalancing China, (3) integration of traditional and non-traditional, (4) flexible and informal institutionalization, and (5) partner-network expansion. Additionally, it highlights four emerging trends likely to shape future developments: (1) strengthening economic–technological cooperation, (2) expanding security networks, (3) strengthening multilateralism, and (4) enhancing soft deterrence.

Moreover, the research explains the implications of these mechanisms for regional security architecture and Vietnam's foreign policy. It also forecasts potential adjustments to US force aggregation strategies in response to shifts in US domestic politics. These theoretical and empirical contributions provide a crucial foundation for identifying strategic drivers and formulating adaptive policy responses for Vietnam within the regional context.

12. Practical applicability, if any:

The findings of this thesis can contribute to research, teaching, and foreign policy planning. By offering a clear typology of US force aggregation mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific, it enables scholars, motivated, and diplomats to better understand strategic drivers, operational structures, and the security–political implications of different cooperation models. The results can serve as a valuable reference for strategic analysis, policy forecasting, and identifying appropriate response options for Vietnam amid intensification great-power competition in the region.

13. Further research directions, if any:

Building on these findings, several avenues for further research can be proposed:

1. Comparative analysis of US and Chinese force aggregation mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific to better delineate similarities and differences in their strategic approaches.

2. In-depth examination of middle-power roles (eg, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea) within the emerging force aggregation architecture.

3. Exploration of non-traditional factors—such as cybersecurity, climate change, and high-tech supply chains—in shaping the design of great-power force aggregation mechanisms.

14. Thesis-related publications:

Nguyen Thi Nhu Quynh (2025), “The US' Multilateral Force Aggregation Mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific during 2021-2024” [The US' Multilateral Force Aggregation Mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific during 2021-2024]Asia-Pacific Economic Journal[Asia-Pacific Economic Journal], No. 1 (686), July 2025, pg. 9-14.