From menacing to ‘cool': How views on China have shifted in Vietnam

Social media, especially TikTok, seen playing crucial role in the changing mood

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Chinese soldiers marching at a parade in Hanoi on Sept 2 celebrating the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's independence from colonial rule. Tens of thousands lined the streets, many of them to watch the Chinese contingent marching alongside Vietnamese soldiers - an unprecedented sight in the capital of a country that was last invaded by China in the late 1970s. PHOTO: REUTERS

(REUTERS)

Dozens of young Vietnamese women lined up for hours in September to catch a glimpse of “cool” troops marching through Hanoi in a huge military parade.

But it was not their own soldiers they were looking out for. It was the Chinese contingent.

The scene reflects a shift in attitudes towards China - amid trade tensions with the United States — which has allowed Vietnamese leaders to push forward with sensitive projects, such as high-speed rail links and special economic zones close to China, that may significantly boost bilateral ties.

Only a few years ago, with many Vietnamese wary of a powerful neighbour with which they have fought multiple wars, such projects were seen as too controversial and caused violent protests.

But views are softening, posts on social media, online searches and language learning data show.

Nearly 75 per cent of Vietnamese respondents prefer the US to China as a partner, but the share favouring China is rising faster than anywhere else in Southeast Asia, bucking the regional trend, according to a poll conducted at the start of 2025 by the Singapore-based ISEAS — Yusof Ishak Institute.