In a quiet yet bold shift on the world stage, Vietnam has officially joined the growing BRICS+ alliance, now a 20-nation bloc representing over half the planet’s population and nearly 44% of the global economy. By stepping into this powerful Global South group, Vietnam signals its commitment to non-alignment while balancing ties with both China and the United States. This decision, firm yet subtle, places Hanoi at the heart of a rising multipolar world—where the game is changing, and the players are choosing their steps with care.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Vietnam becomes 20th country in BRICS+ bloc as of July 2025

• BRICS+ now includes 10 core members and 10 partners

• Group represents 43.93% of global GDP (PPP) and 55.61% of world population

• Vietnam upholds “Four Nos” foreign policy of strict non-alignment

• China remains Vietnam’s top trading partner; U.S. is second

• Hanoi maintains ties with both Beijing and Washington while avoiding entanglements

In a move that adds new weight to the evolving geopolitics of the Global South, Vietnam has formally joined the expanded BRICS+ group as a partner state. The Southeast Asian nation confirmed its decision in June 2025, following an invitation extended at the October 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. With this, the BRICS+ bloc now stands at 20 members strong—10 full members and 10 partner countries.

This development not only marks another step in the transformation of BRICS from a modest coalition of emerging economies to a more complex network of countries challenging Western-led multilateral institutions—it also carries symbolic significance. Vietnam’s inclusion underlines the country’s consistent commitment to a doctrine of non-alignment, even as global power centers attempt to draw clear lines of allegiance in an increasingly divided international system.

From Four to Twenty: The Evolution of BRICS+

Originally founded in 2009 as BRIC—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China—the bloc expanded to BRICS in 2010 when South Africa joined. It remained a five-member group for over a decade. But a significant shift began at the Johannesburg summit in 2023, where the first wave of expansion added new members. The Kazan summit in 2024 then introduced the “partner state” concept, bringing a dozen new countries into the fold—including Vietnam, which accepted the offer months later.

The current BRICS+ coalition includes full members Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. The partner states now include Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and, most recently, Vietnam.

Together, these 20 nations now account for 43.93% of the global economy by purchasing power parity, and more than 55% of the world’s population, according to IMF data for 2025.

Symbolism of Hanoi’s Late But Deliberate Acceptance

Vietnam’s delayed decision to join BRICS+ was anything but indecisive. Observers see it as a carefully calculated move—one that underscores Hanoi’s desire to reaffirm its long-standing principle of strategic autonomy. The invitation extended in October 2024 was not immediately accepted, and Vietnam waited until June 2025 to formally respond. This delay speaks volumes.

Rather than rushing into an alliance that could be perceived as a challenge to existing partnerships, Vietnam has maintained its own rhythm—carefully weighing the implications of joining a coalition that is increasingly seen as a platform for the Global South to push back against traditional Western-dominated power structures.

Vietnam’s “Four Nos” Doctrine: A Path of Strategic Balance

Central to understanding Vietnam’s decision is its foreign policy doctrine known as the “Four Nos”, which the government defines as:

• No participation in military alliances

• No siding with one country against another

• No foreign military bases or use of Vietnamese territory against others

• No use or threat of force in international relations

This approach is not new, but its reaffirmation through BRICS+ membership sends a strong message—that Vietnam intends to remain diplomatically equidistant from global power poles, despite increasing pressure to pick sides.

US Pressure and the Friendshoring Strategy

Vietnam’s BRICS+ inclusion comes at a time when the United States has been stepping up efforts to realign global supply chains as part of its broader strategic decoupling from China. Washington’s push for “friendshoring”—encouraging U.S. companies to shift manufacturing from China to politically aligned nations—placed Vietnam in the spotlight.

“Vietnam is seen by the U.S. as a key piece in its Indo-Pacific economic strategy,” analysts have noted, “but Hanoi is not eager to become a pawn in a larger Cold War-like rivalry.”

Both the Trump and Biden administrations have leaned heavily into this strategy, pressuring U.S. companies to reduce their dependence on China and redirect investment flows toward Vietnam and other regional players. This effort included high-level diplomatic outreach, investment commitments, and tariff threats.

Yet, while the U.S. has made economic overtures, it has also issued economic warnings. Former President Donald Trump notably threatened steep tariffs on Vietnamese goods—threats that, if carried out, could undermine Vietnam’s key export relationship with the U.S., its second-largest trading partner.

China and Vietnam: From Historical Tension to Economic Interdependence

Despite a turbulent history—including sharp divisions during the Cold War and the Sino-Soviet split—Vietnam and China have grown significantly closer in recent years. Today, China stands as Vietnam’s largest trading partner, and the economic interdependence between the two nations has only deepened.

Both countries operate under remarkably similar economic systems. China refers to its framework as a “socialist market economy,” while Vietnam describes its model as a “socialist-oriented market economy.” These terms reflect a fusion of state-led development strategies with market reforms—an approach that has delivered strong results for both.

“The economic models in China and Vietnam may differ in scale, but the structure and outcomes are surprisingly aligned,” say regional economists. “Both countries have seen rapid industrialization, rising living standards, and a reduction in poverty through a hybrid form of socialism.”

Resisting the Grand Encirclement

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a billionaire hedge fund executive, has been at the forefront of crafting an Indo-Pacific economic strategy aimed at isolating China. As Bloomberg reported, Bessent’s plan involved coordinating with Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and India in what has been dubbed a “grand encirclement” of Beijing.

Vietnam, however, has chosen not to be drawn into this vision. Instead, it continues to build strong diplomatic and economic ties with both the U.S. and China, without fully committing to either side.

“Vietnam’s BRICS+ membership is not a pivot—it’s a declaration of independence from binary choices,” one diplomat commented. “It reflects a pragmatic approach to foreign policy that prioritizes national interest over geopolitical gamesmanship.”

A Quiet but Powerful Signal

Vietnam’s entry into BRICS+ is not just a bureaucratic update—it is a diplomatic signal, delivered with subtlety but layered in meaning. It asserts the country’s enduring stance on neutrality and its resistance to Cold War-style alliances.

As BRICS+ evolves into a major pillar of Global South cooperation, Vietnam’s presence adds credibility and balance to the bloc. And in a time when the world increasingly leans toward polarized blocs, Hanoi’s strategic restraint may be its most powerful tool.

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