Despite Vietnam’s efforts to improve its relationship with Laos, the latter is moving towards China as the nation is trying to gain benefits from Beijing’s economy and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure.
Vietnam, to improve its relationship with Laos, went on high-profile visits, extensive cultural exchanges, and the signing of several agreemets.Laos is located adjacent to China, Vietnam’s long-time rival, and its border with Vietnam is 2,161 kilometres long, Vietnam is aware of this and will make every effort to support the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party’s (LPRP) ruling.
The LPRP’s presentation of unity and independence could be disturbed by China’s overt presence, which has the potential to exacerbate populist and ethnic frustrations in the ethnically divided Lao nation. Therefore, in order to avoid these underlying tensions, the LPRP has an incentive to reduce its overdependence on China.
