VNExpress-Sept 30
Vietnam has made significant strides in diplomatic influence, according to this year’s Asia Power Index, driven by proactive engagement with a diverse range of partners.
The Southeast Asian country scored 58.6 points in diplomatic influence, which measures the “extent and standing of a state’s foreign relations,” reflecting an increase of 3.3 points from last year. This improvement also moved Vietnam up one spot in the 2024 rankings for this measure. The scores for diplomatic influence are assessed based on diplomatic networks, participation in multilateral institutions and organizations, and overall foreign policy and strategic ambition. The Asia Power Index evaluates the comprehensive power of 27 countries using a weighted average across eight categories: military capability, defense networks, economic capability, economic relationships, diplomatic influence, cultural influence, resilience, and future resources. Resilience refers to a state’s ability to withstand external threats, while future resources are projected based on economic, defense, and broader resource estimates for 2035, along with working-age population forecasts for 2050.
While Vietnam performed best in diplomatic front, it also made progress in cultural influence (gaining 1.9 points), future resources (+1.8), economic relationships (+1.6), military capability (+1.5), and economic capability (+0.8). However, it experienced a drop of 1.5 points in defense networks, which was measured by assessments of alliances, regional defense diplomacy, and arms transfers. Overall, Vietnam ranked 12th out of 27 countries for comprehensive power, with a score of 18.7 out of 100, reflecting a 1.2-point increase from last year, while maintaining its position in the rankings. Among Southeast Asian representatives, Singapore ranked 8th in the ranking, Indonesia 9th, Thailand 10th, Malaysia 11th, and the Philippines 15th. Read more at: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-rises-in-asia-power-ranking-with-bigger-diplomatic-influence-4797304.html
