The July 12 judgement of the tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration regarding Manila’s case against Beijing’s South China Sea claims has reshaped the geostrategic landscape in Southeast Asia. But surprisingly, Vietnam has only issued a brief statement on the verdict, with Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Le Hai Binh saying that “Vietnam welcomes the arbitration court issuing its final ruling.” He also reiterated Vietnam’s December 2014 statement to the tribunal, which had, among other things, recognized its jurisdiction in the case. And Binh said the ministry would issue a more detailed comment on the contents of the ruling at a later time.

Apart from the Philippines, Vietnam gains most from the court’s verdict, but it has not provided a detailed opinion on the ruling, even after more than a month. This has baffled many Vietnamese observers. Some have suggested that Vietnam should follow suit by bringing a case against China regarding the Paracel Islands. China has consistently refused any negotiations with Vietnam over the Paracels since it seized those of the islets occupied by Vietnamese forces in 1974. Given growing sentiment in Vietnam for an official assessment of the ruling, it behooves Hanoi to decide on an appropriate stance regarding the verdict, and soon.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/vietnams-south-china-sea-challenge-17407