The United States’ Multilateral Security Cooperation in Southeast Asia in the First Two Decades of the Twenty-First Century and the Impacts on Vietnam

The purpose of this article is to clarify the issue of the US multilateral security cooperation in Southeast Asia during the first two decades of the twenty-first century and its impact on Vietnam. To carry out this research, in addition to the historical research method, the author focuses on using analytical - synthesis method academic documents, diplomatics papers to deeply understand the research object, combining systematize method author's research data to make relevant assessments. This study focuses on analyzing two fundamental issues: the important drivers to promote the US multilateral security cooperation with Southeast Asian countries; the main multilateral security cooperation activities that the US conducted in Southeast Asia[1] from 2001 to 2020 and their impacts on Vietnam. From the research results, the article shows that: 1. Multilateral security cooperation is an effective way for the US to minimize the disadvantages of its geopolitical position in Southeast Asia; 2. The content of multilateral mechanisms proposed or joined by the US in Southeast Asia is aimed at comprehensive security, but tends to focus on the military-security; 3. The US' multilateral security cooperation activities in Southeast Asia have had profound and important impacts on Vietnam, especially since the establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership (July 2013) in the context of Vietnam is facing security challenges inits sovereignty dispute in the East Sea [1] Includes cooperation activities conducted for Southeast Asia security or security cooperation mechanisms led by Southeast Asian countries.