2, Vietnam continued to abstain from voting for a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russia’s arbitrary annexation of four regions of Ukraine, although Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang in his speech previously emphasized the cause of the principle of “respecting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.”
Some political commentators said that the Vietnamese State showed contradictions in words and actions as it abstained along with 34 other countries.
Disappointing with Vietnam’s vote
Mr. Will Nguyen, a human rights campaigner told Radio Free Asia:
“I think if Ho Chi Minh were alive today, he would be ashamed of the Vietnamese government and their vote abstention.
If there truly is nothing more precious than independence and freedom, then the vote should have been unambiguously in favor of Ukraine.
And given the fluid situation in the East Sea, Vietnamese leaders betray Ho Chi Minh’s legacy at their own peril.”
Poet Hoang Hung, a social critic from Saigon, said that Hanoi’s attitude disappoints many people, and according to him, the Vietnamese state currently does not want to confront Russia because there are many connections between Hanoi and Moscow in defense and joint oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea (Vietnam calls it the East Sea).
He commented:
“It is in the whole line of Vietnam from the beginning of the war, that is, not to vote to condemn Russia.
However, it must be noted that the statements of the representative of Vietnam to the General Assembly have always affirmed that Vietnam calls for respecting the UN Charter and national sovereignty, not using force, etc.
With such statements, people immediately understood that Russia is an aggressor, but Vietnam abstained. This is a contradiction.”
In his speech just before the vote in New York, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang – Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations affirmed that Hanoi understands the value of peace while emphasizing the need to ensure compliance with the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law.
The ambassador reiterated the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, not using or threatening to use force in international relations, peacefully settling international disputes in accordance with international law, and especially the principle of respecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of nations.
With the above speech, many people believe that Vietnam will vote in favor of the above UN Resolution, which means opposing Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine, which Vietnamese media still call “the special military operation” similar to the tone of Moscow.
However, Vietnam and 34 other countries including China abstained, and only five countries voted against it, including Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and two other countries.
Professor Carlyle Thayer, an Australian international relations expert, commented in a text message to RFA:
“Vietnam, like India, depends on Moscow for Russian weapons and military technology. From Vietnam’s point of view, they do not want to see Russia weaken. In many ways, Russia is a reliable friend, playing an important role in Vietnam’s strategy of diversifying and multilateralizing foreign relations. Indeed, Russia is Vietnam’s first strategic partner.”
A retired female teacher in Hanoi shared via text message that the votes of the Communist Party-led government showed “a fear of Russia.”
She also said that with this attitude, Vietnam wants to show that it values its faithful friendship with Russia as well as many former socialist countries.
“Currently China is an ally of Russia, so whatever Beijing does, Hanoi does without fear of being rebuked by Putin.
But the most important factor for Vietnam to vote against or abstain is the syndrome of fear of Russia and China of the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.”
The disadvantage to Vietnam in case of conflict with China
Vietnam’s abstention before the United Nations comes just a day after the one-party state was elected a member of the Human Rights Council.
Professor Carl Thayer commented:
“Vietnam, like India, is dependent on Moscow for Russian arms and military technology. From Vietnam’s point of view, it does not want to see Russia weakened. Russia has been a reliable friend in many ways as a key player in Vietnam’s strategy of diversifying and multilateralizing external relations. indeed, Russia was Vietnam’s first strategic partner.”
Mr. Do Thai Binh in Saigon said that this vote is “an insult to the nation.” He said:
“Vietnam abstaining from the vote means staying out of the invasion, which means supporting the biggest human rights violation in the world.
It is an insult to a people that loves justice, loves peace, and hates aggression, it does not represent the true voice of the Vietnamese people!”
Lawyer Nguyen Van Dai from Germany said that the Vietnamese State often says that it is a responsible country to the international community, but since Russia invaded Ukraine, this is the third time Hanoi has abstained and once protested for resolutions unfavorable to Moscow.
He commented to RFA:
“This shows that the communist dictatorship of Vietnam is irresponsible to the world when more than 100 countries condemn Russia and Vietnam goes against the general trend.
Vietnam is also irresponsible to the country itself because Vietnam is a small country next to China with a lot of territorial ambitions.
If there is a conflict between Vietnam and China in the future, Vietnam will certainly not be interested and supported by the international community in the face of China’s aggression.”
Recalling Russia’s crimes against Ukrainian civilians during the current invasion, the former prisoner of conscience accused the authoritarian communist state of Vietnam of not being aware of good and evil when it did not condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Vietnam and Russia have a comprehensive strategic partnership. The Vietnam People’s Army is equipped with many advanced Russian weapons, including Kilo submarines, Su-30 aircraft, tanks, etc.
However, many news analysts in Vietnam expressed concern about the effectiveness of these weapons when the Russian army was losing ground on the Ukrainian battlefield, in addition to the absurdity of the invasion that Moscow was conducting in its neighboring country.
Freelance journalist Nguyen Dinh Am from Hanoi questioned Vietnam’s dependence on Russia in defending the country:
“Let’s see, to defend our country the first must be righteous, so is it righteous to support the aggressor?
Secondly, we are a small and weak country needing the support of the majority of countries, in which powerful and civilized countries do not invade other countries. So is Russia a powerful civilized country as it invades, destroys, and kills people but it is suffering great losses?
So, should we rely on the country like that?”
Linking the current Russian invasion of Ukraine and China’s hegemonic plot, many people voiced alarm at the current Vietnamese leadership.
Writer Vo Thi Hao said that Russia’s tricks in forcing referendums to seize four Ukrainian territories set a dangerous precedent, encouraging big countries to blatantly appropriate small countries regardless of international laws.
According to her, Vietnam is always in danger of being invaded by China, and the situation will be even more dangerous if the UN General Assembly does not unite enough to prevent Russia’s current aggression.
She said in a text message to RFA:
“The Vietnamese representative’s tacit acts of accepting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are no different from the applause of a frog appreciating the fire at the bottom of a pot that is boiling its fellow human beings and gradually boiling itself to death.”
According to her, Vietnam’s abstention, which means accepting Russia’s aggression and suppression of human rights just one day after being elected to the UN Human Rights Council, is “a betrayal of human rights, making Vietnam more discredited and isolated in the world.”
After the vote, Vietnamese state media reported on the voting results but did not announce the Vietnamese vote to the public.
Poet Hoang Hung, one of the key people on the campaign committee of the Vietnamese Literature Union, commented on this:
“If you abstained because of delicate issues and the position of a weak country, others may understand and forgive. But the regime doesn’t dare to make it public (vote – PV) to the people in the country, I think it’s bad.”
Before this vote, Vietnam twice abstained from resolutions opposing Russia’s invasion and once against a resolution to exclude Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
