Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Every time China oversteps, American interests in Southeast Asia advance

The neighbors notice. Chinese and Vietnamese boats are bumping on the high seas. Vietnamese are attacking Chinese-owned factories. I remember reading that as early as about 1970, Hanoi was more focused on Beijing as its primary adversary than on the lingering war with the Americans. I hope we are now sharing satellite imagery and signals ...

By , a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy.
Jennifer Boyer/Flickr
Jennifer Boyer/Flickr
Jennifer Boyer/Flickr

The neighbors notice. Chinese and Vietnamese boats are bumping on the high seas. Vietnamese are attacking Chinese-owned factories.

I remember reading that as early as about 1970, Hanoi was more focused on Beijing as its primary adversary than on the lingering war with the Americans. I hope we are now sharing satellite imagery and signals intercepts with the Vietnamese government.

Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1

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