If you read the news recently, you know that China has built a political oil rig in Vietnamese sea to seek control and provoke a war which could potentially breaks out to a larger war. Its’ government’s intention is cover internal scandals and to aggressively provoke Obama’s support for Southeast Asia countries recently. I am personally disturbed by this and see it as extremely unethical. As an entrepreneur, business owner, and stock trader, I look at it in a risk/reward perspective. I see it as a risky move by China with bigger downsize risk than upside reward. My view in this post is biased because I support Vietnam, but it won’t change that I only provide facts and my analysis base on those facts.
A derivative of University of Leeds study conclude that in game theory, what Vietnam has been doing against intruders is an evolutionarily stable strategy, where smaller countries are more aggressive than larger opponents, is possible when smaller countries display and larger countries retreat; this may occur when the smaller countries has some chance to win a fight and resources are abundant and of relatively low value, or when the value of the resource is too small to the larger country when compared to the risk.
China is using a bullying tactic on neighbor countries to show off strength in hope that Obama would back off in supporting Southeast Asia’s neighbor countries. It is true that in terms of land size and population, China is huge and can use them as leverage. However, what China is doing is simply stealing and to use those two as leverages to justify stealing is a fallacy and simply don’t work. Base on historical facts, Vietnamese are among the most resilient and toughest people in the world, despite any standard of living. Because the education in Vietnam is mostly about right and wrong and hardly about politics, the majority of Vietnamese people would fight better to protect their land, if it breaks out; and because political justifications are not enough for Chinese people to push themselves to win this war, they won’t be fighting as hard. Vietnamese people understand it better than most countries due to their experience throughout many wars, tracing back to thousands of years. For Vietnamese people to tolerate China’s action today would be to set precedent that stealing is legal; and base on moral justification alone, Vietnamese people would win.
The historical facts are there, but they are not the only justification to say why Vietnam would win this war. As a result of analyzing China’s actions over the past few years, I can say that China is not ready for a bigger multinational war, which would break out if China keeps provoking. There are internal scandals that reduce Chinese people’s trust in their own country; there are more and more recognition of China’s patent stealing, fake and harmful products; there are questions in China’s state of affairs on whether or not they are appropriate in current time where others countries are putting efforts to build peaceful relationships. They simply give themselves a bad reputation, and now they have too much on their plate to deal with. China is not ready for a war. Vietnam has border with many friendly countries, to wage a war against Vietnam for this unjust reason would be to cause an international warfare, which China is responsible for. The fact that other countries would be reluctant to help Vietnam at first is foreseeable; it is understandable that other neighbor countries need to secure current trading affairs with China. However, with this provoking speed that China put on Vietnam, other countries would see that it’s simply wrong for China to do so, and to choose trading affairs with China over supporting what is right would disappoint a lot of people. In the end, other countries will support Vietnam simply because it’s the right thing to do, and the pressure against China would be too much.
I absolutely understand that foreign countries, especially Western countries might think that Vietnam is a communist country and there would not be many justifications to support Vietnam; and that is absolutely reasonable. To feel comfortable supporting Vietnam, other countries have to feel comfortable with who we are. I say that Vietnam is not a communist country. It is true that Vietnam is long being influenced by Chinese culture due to their nearby geographical location and hundreds of attempt to take over Vietnam for thousands of years. However, Vietnam is special because historically, we are also influenced by Western, British, and American cultures. It is normal and beneficial for Vietnam to have a mixed culture as an opportunity to grow. That’s why we are able to keep going. We have multiple religions and don’t deny people’s right to attend any. Vietnam survives and thrives because she is open to the idea of the world. We are open, but we ask that our land is our own.
I am extremely disturbed by people’s ignorant comments that Vietnam and other Southeast Asia countries should stay friendly with China out of fear of exclusion from prosperity. Fear is what make other countries becoming the bullied. Like any other developing country, Vietnam does have weaknesses country that need to be solved, but submission in fear of missing out is definitely NOT one of them. It is a long told mindset that Vietnamese people would rather trade with the West than being too influenced by the Chinese. Vietnamese people are in touch with nature and authenticity, when it comes down to it, we simply know right and wrong. Because of that, Vietnam gains respect from many countries. Now, to allow China to bully us, take our land and then some would be to influence a wimpy mindset to other neighbor countries, and it’s simply wrong. It doesn’t matter if China is currently prospering with big economic impact, what matters is getting it right is always the right thing to do. By putting our foot down and make a step forward, Vietnam will make the following statements that influence the world:
- Bullying is not tolerable.
- Stealing is not tolerable.
- Fear of missing out is not a justification for submission.
- Vietnamese people will continue to do whatever it takes to protect our country and border, therefore strengthen the mindset for others.
- China’s action is wrong and to allow any of its action now, future international warfare would break out.
I personally endorse Vietnam’s current aggressive actions towards China’s unethical practices. I will personally make whatever effort and investment to support Vietnam if the war breaks out. I want you to understand this post and share the idea to people who wants to read it.
Sign petition to the White House in request of China to withdraw their oil rig in Vietnam here.