Today’s guest is Dr. Prashanth Parameswaran, author of the excellent ASEAN Wonk newsletter, a fellow at the Wilson Center, a senior columnist at The Diplomat, and an instructor at institutions including the State Department and the Department of Defense.

He has a deeply nuanced view of defense, economic, and diplomatic issues across Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.

We discussed Vietnam’s ‘bamboo diplomacy’ and deft balancing of China and the U.S.; its role in broader Southeast Asia as countries like the Philippines confront China while those such as Cambodia draw closer; the delicate dance of territorial claims and naval might in the South China Sea; economic balancing in cutting-edge sectors such as semiconductors and green energy; and what may be on the Vietnamese government’s mind as the U.S. heads into another divisive election.

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