How Vietnam's 'Doi Moi' Shift Changed Threat Views of China

Recent studies show political socialization shapes public foreign policy preferences, but this hasn't been explored outside democratic Western contexts. This research note examines Vietnamese attitudes toward Chinese economic expansion through the lens of Doi Moi (renovation), a transformative period distinct from prior experiences.

We demonstrate that Vietnam's traditional 'socialist brotherhood' narrative faded during reform, leading to stark generational differences in threat perception:

• Pre-Doi Moi cohorts: Primarily shaped by earlier historical contexts with less nuanced views of China
• Post-Doi Moi cohorts: Experience from the reform era created a more distinct and often negative view of Chinese economic influence

Using data from the latest Pew Global Attitude Survey, our analysis reveals that Doi (Mo) i significantly altered Vietnamese threat perception towards China. This finding suggests political socialization effects may differ substantially across varying historical contexts.