Caught in the Crossfire: Vietnam, U.S.-China Rivalry, and the New Era of Tariffs
Virtual, Members-only Briefing
Thursday, May 8, 2025 | 6:00 – 7:15 PM EDT
In 2025, the United States and Vietnam will celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations—just two years after upgrading their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. But even as the relationship reaches new heights, it faces a sharp test. On April 2, 2025, the U.S. imposed a sweeping 46% tariff on all Vietnamese goods, among the world’s highest, as part of his global “Liberation Day” tariff reckoning. Just days later, a 90-day pause on the tariff was announced, giving both countries a narrow window to negotiate. Still, the signal is clear: Vietnam, once seen as a key partner in U.S. efforts to diversify away from China, is now feeling the squeeze of great power competition.
Having benefited enormously from the “China Plus One” strategy, Vietnam has become one of the world’s most dynamic manufacturing hubs. But this new trade barrier threatens to undercut its ambitious target of 8% GDP growth in 2025 and double-digit growth in the years ahead. Meanwhile, President Tô Lâm (the new leader of Vietnam) is pushing through bureaucratic reforms to keep Vietnam competitive and attractive to investors.
How will Vietnam adapt to this shifting landscape? What’s next for U.S.-Vietnam economic ties? And what does this moment mean for American businesses, regional stability, and the global order? Join us on Thursday, May 8 from 6 to 7:15 PM EDT for a conversation with Professor Edmund Malesky, a leading scholar on Vietnam’s political economy, Professor of Political Economy in the Department of Political Science and Director of the Duke Center for International Development at Duke University, when he will unpack the forces reshaping Vietnam’s economic future and its increasingly complex role on the world stage.
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SPEAKER:
Professor Edmund Malesky
Edmund Malesky is a Professor of Political Economy in the Political Science Department at Duke University and a noted specialist in economic development, authoritarian institutions, and comparative political economy in Vietnam. In August of 2020, Malesky became the director of the Duke Center for International Development (DCID), a unit within Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy that advances international development policy and practice through interdisciplinary approaches to post-graduate education, mid-career training, international advising, and research. In 2019, he was elected Chair of the Southeast Asia Research Group (SEAREG) Council. Since 2014, he has been a member of the board of the International Political Economy Society (IPES). He also serves on the editorial boards of several publications, including the Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, and the Journal of East Asian Studies. In 2012, he received a state medal from the Government of Vietnam for his role in promoting economic development for USAID’s Vietnam Provincial Competitiveness Index. In 2013, Malesky was appointed by President Obama to serve on the board of the Vietnam Education Foundation. Malesky has published extensively in leading political science and economic journals and has received several academic awards including the Harvard Academy Fellowship (2004-2005; 2007-2008) and the Rockefeller Bellagio Residency Fellowship (2014).
THIS SESSION IS FREE FOR NETWORK 20/20’s MEMBERS
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Image Credit: Free Malaysia Today
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