Huong Le Thu

Dr. Huong Le Thu is Deputy Director of the Asia Program at the International Crisis Group. Over nearly two decades, she has worked across academia, think tanks, and international organisations in Northeast and Southeast Asia — including at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. She has taught at the Australian National University and held visiting fellowships at the University of Malaya, the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, and the Korean Military Advisory Group in Seoul.

Huong holds a PhD in International Relations from National Chengchi University and Masters and Honours degrees in Political Science and Asian Studies. In 2019, she was named among the "40 Under 40" Most Influential Asian Australians of the Year and was selected as an inaugural Shangri-La Dialogue Southeast Asian Fellow by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). She serves on the ASEAN Regional Forum register of Experts and Eminent Persons, and speaks five languages, publishing in four of them.

Follow Huong's analysis on Southeast Asian security and geopolitics — one of the region's most cited and widely read voices, with commentary that reaches from Hanoi to Washington.

	Huong Le Thu
	@le2huong

Research & Commentary

Huong writes across leading academic journals and major global policy platforms, covering Southeast Asian security, ASEAN regionalism, Vietnam's defence and foreign policy, and China's strategic ambitions in the region. Below is a selection of her notable work.

• Indo-Pacific perspectives on the prospect of a US-China G2

  Brooking Institution • 13 March 2026

  • https://www.brookings.edu/articles/indo-pacific-perspectives-on-the-prospect-of-a-us-china-g2/

• A Tricky Balancing Act for Southeast Asia

  War on the rocks • 5 August 2025

  • https://warontherocks.com/2025/08/a-tricky-balancing-act-for-southeast-asia/

• Calibrating China Ties - Vietnam

  Carnegie Endowment for International Peace • 9 July 2025

  • https://www.apln.network/news/member_activities/calibrating-china-ties-vietnam

• Trump, Tariffs and Tech Ambitions: How Vietnam can navigate the headwinds ahead

  Australia Vietnam Policy Institute • 6 February 2025

  • https://avpi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/AVPIFP-Dr-Huong-Le-Thu-Trump-Tariffs-and-Tech-Ambitions-How-Vietnam-can-navigate-the-headwinds-ahead.pdf

  
  

• Asia’s middle powers’ activism a plus for regional stability

  The Strait Times • 26 September 2024

  • https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/asia-s-middle-powers-activism-a-plus-for-regional-stability

• A Power Grab in Hanoi

  Foreign Affairs • 9 September 2024

  • https://www.foreignaffairs.com/vietnam/power-grab-hanoi

More...

• In 2024, Asia's domestic politics will decide its geopolitics

  The Korea Times • 24 January 2024

  • https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20240124/in-2024-asias-domestic-politics-will-decide-its-geopolitics

• Hanoi’s American Hedge

  Foreign Affairs • 12 September 2023

  • https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/hanois-american-hedge

• How to Survive a Great-Power Competition

  Foreign Affairs • 18 April 2023

  • https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/beijing-survive-great-power-competition

• Three pathways for Australia to reset relations with Southeast Asia

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 8 November 2022

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/three-pathways-for-australia-to-reset-relations-with-southeast-asia/

• ASEAN has to take itself more seriously before asking the world to

  Nikkei Asia • 7 November 2022

  • https://asia.nikkei.com/opinion/asean-has-to-take-itself-more-seriously-before-asking-the-world-to

    
    

• Australia Needs a Smarter Strategy for Investing in Vietnam

  The Diplomat • 15 September 2022

  • https://thediplomat.com/2022/09/australia-needs-a-smarter-strategy-for-investing-in-vietnam/

• Japan’s Crucial Role in Southeast Asia amid the Ukraine War

  Center for Strategic & International Studies • 22 April 2022

  • https://www.csis.org/analysis/japans-crucial-role-southeast-asia-amid-ukraine-war

• Britain in Southeast Asia: How to keep old friends newly engaged

  The Interpreter, Lowy Institute • 8 April 2022

  • https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/britain-southeast-asia-how-keep-old-friends-newly-engaged

• UK, Australia and ASEAN cooperation for safer seas

  Australian Policy Online , Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 31 March 2022

  • https://apo.org.au/node/317219

• ASEAN needs to uphold principles, not neutrality, in Ukraine war

  Nikkei Asia • 2 March 2022

  • https://asia.nikkei.com/opinion/asean-needs-to-uphold-principles-not-neutrality-in-ukraine-war

• Digital Southeast Asia: Opportunities for Australia–India cooperation to support the region in the post-COVID-19 context

  Observer Research Foundation • 10 February 2022

  • https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/digital-southeast-asia-opportunities-for-australia-india-cooperation

• Australia must be ASEAN’s digital transformation partner

  Financial Review • 6 January 2022

  • https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/australia-must-be-asean-s-digital-transformation-partner-20220106-p59m8c

• Delta variant outbreak challenges Vietnam’s COVID-19 response strategy

  Brooking Institute • 11 August 2021

  • https://www.brookings.edu/articles/delta-variant-outbreak-challenges-vietnams-covid-19-response-strategy/

• Reconciling the Past for a Stronger Partnership: Shaping U.S.-Vietnam Relations under the Biden Administration

  Center for Strategic & International Studies • 4 August 2021

  • https://www.csis.org/analysis/reconciling-past-stronger-partnership-shaping-us-vietnam-relations-under-biden

• Biden Must Change the Narrative of Neglect for Southeast Asia

  Foreign Policy • 9 July 2021

  • https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/09/southeast-asia-biden-asean-centrality/

• Australia should bet on digital engagement with Southeast Asia

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 29 June 2021

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-should-bet-on-digital-engagement-with-southeast-asia/

• ASEAN has risked too much in inviting Myanmar’s junta leader to summit

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 23 April 2021

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/asean-has-risked-too-much-in-inviting-myanmars-junta-leader-to-summit/

• Vietnam Picks Control Over Reform at 13th National Party Congress

  Foreign Policy • 10 February 2021

  • https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/02/10/vietnam-communist-party-congress-reform-coronavirus-economy/

• Vietnam’s Coming Leadership Change

  The Diplomat • 1 January 2021

  • https://thediplomat.com/2020/12/vietnams-coming-leadership-change/

• Abe leaves top job with Japan a leading light in the Indo-Pacific

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 9 September 2020

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/abe-leaves-top-job-with-japan-a-leading-light-in-the-indo-pacific/

• Vietnam steps up to take ASEAN leadership role

  Foreign Policy• 31 July 2020

  • https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/07/31/vietnam-asean-leadership-role-south-china-sea-diplomacy/

• Why Singapore’s election will be like no other

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 9 July 2020

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/why-singapores-election-will-be-like-no-other/

• This Is No Time to Take Eyes off the South China Sea

  Real Clear Defense • 6 July 2020

  • https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2020/07/06/this_is_no_time_to_take_eyes_off_the_south_china_sea_115442.html

• Vietnam shows ASEAN valuable new form of leadership

  Nikkei Asia • 25 June 2020

  • https://com/opinion/vietnam-shows-asean-valuable-new-form-of-leadership

• A daughter, a sister, a wife: Asia’s female leader

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 8 March 2019

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a-daughter-a-sister-a-wife-asias-female-leaders/

• Vietnam: A Successful Battle Against the Virus

  Council on Foreign Relations • 30 April 2020

  • https://www.cfr.org/articles/vietnam-successful-battle-against-virus

• Fishing While the Water is Muddy: China’s newly announced administrative districts in the South China Sea

  Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative • 6 May 2020

  • https://amti.csis.org/fishing-while-the-water-is-muddy-chinas-newly-announced-administrative-districts-in-the-south-china-sea/

• China’s Asia: Triangular Dynamics Since the Cold War

  Real Clear Defense • 7 March 2020

  • https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2020/03/07/chinas_asia_triangular_dynamics_since_the_cold_war_115100.html

• What Tsai’s re-election in Taiwan means for Australia

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 5 February 2020

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/what-tsais-re-election-in-taiwan-means-for-australia/

• Russia’s Growing Interests in the South China Sea

  Real Clear Defense • 18 December 2019

  • https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2019/12/18/russias_growing_interests_in_the_south_china_sea_114932.html

• Vietnam Draws Lines in the Sea

  Foreign Policy • 6 December 2019

  • https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/12/06/vietnam-south-china-sea-united-states-draws-lines-in-the-sea/

• Southeast Asian narratives about US–China competition (part 2): You’ve got to be in it to win it

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 18 November 2019

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/southeast-asian-narratives-about-us-china-competition-part-2-youve-got-to-be-in-it-to-win-it/

• Southeast Asian narratives about US–China competition (part 1): choice and necessity

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 13 November 2019

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/southeast-asian-narratives-about-us-china-competition-part-1-choice-and-necessity/

• Cybersecurity and geopolitics: why Southeast Asia is wary of a Huawei ban

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 5 October 2019

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/cybersecurity-and-geopolitics-why-southeast-asia-is-wary-of-a-huawei-ban/

• China’s Incursion Into Vietnam’s EEZ and Lessons From the Past

  Asia Maritime Transparency Initiatives • 20 August 2019

  • https://amti.csis.org/chinas-incursion-into-vietnams-eez-and-lessons-from-the-past/

• The long and winding way to the Indo-Pacific

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 19 June 2019

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-long-and-winding-way-to-the-indo-pacific/

• Failure in Hanoi? Don’t sweat the small stuff

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 5 March 2019

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/failure-in-hanoi-dont-sweat-the-small-stuff/

• Vietnam can be template for a US deal with North Korea

  Nikkei Asia • 21 February 2019

  • https://asia.nikkei.com/opinion/vietnam-can-be-template-for-a-us-deal-with-north-korea

    
    

• New perspectives for the revived Quad

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 14 February 2019

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/new-perspectives-for-the-revived-quad/

• Five constants for Australia’s Asia policy

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 14 November 2018

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/five-constants-for-australias-asia-policy/

• Southeast Asian perceptions of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

  Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 23 October 2018

  • https://www.aspi.org.au/report/southeast-asian-perceptions-quadrilateral-security-dialogue/

• China, ASEAN make symbolic progress on sea dispute

  VN Express International • 3 September 2018

  • https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/perspectives/china-asean-make-symbolic-progress-on-sea-dispute-3795636.html

• The Dangerous Quest for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea

  Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative • 13 July 2018

  • https://amti.csis.org/the-dangerous-quest-for-a-code-of-conduct-in-the-south-china-sea/

• Alliances in the time of hybrid

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 4 July 2018

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/alliances-in-the-time-of-hybrid-warfare/

• “Indo-Pacific”: (re-)revise and resubmit

  Baird Maritime • 8 June 2018

  • https://www.bairdmaritime.com/shipping/feature-indo-pacific-re-revise-and-resubmit

• Mahathir challenged by own legacy

  Taipei Times • 20 May 2018

  • https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2018/05/20/2003693375

• Should Australia join ASEAN? Lessons from Vietnam

  East Asia Forum • 10 May 2018

  • https://eastasiaforum.org/2018/05/10/should-australia-join-asean-lessons-from-vietnam/

• Shared vision behind Australia's new strategic friendship with Vietnam

  Financial Review • 12 March 2018

  • https://www.afr.com/opinion/shared-vision-behind-our-new-strategic-friendship-with-vietnam-20180312-h0xcbn

• US–Vietnamese cooperation: current, not past, issues are the limiting factor

  The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute • 5 February 2018

  • https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/us-vietnamese-cooperation-current-not-past-issues-limiting-factor/

• China's dual strategy of coercion and inducement towards ASEAN

  The Pacific Review, Volume 32 • 2019

  • https://doi.org/10.1080/09512748.2017.1417325

• Vietnam’s diplomatic dance with the US and China scores high marks

  South China Morning Post • 14 November 2017

  • https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2119702/vietnams-diplomatic-dance-us-and-china-scores-high-marks

• Even under Trump, US-Vietnam relations seem to be improving

  The Sydney Morning Herald • 9 November 2017

  • https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/even-under-trump-usvietnam-relations-seem-to-be-improving-20171109-gzhxgh.html

• Vietnam’s precarious strategic balancing act

  East Asia Forum • 5 July 2014

  • https://eastasiaforum.org/2014/07/05/vietnams-precarious-strategic-balancing-act/

• The Oil Rig Crisis, ASEAN Unity and Vietnam’s Regime Stability

  The Diplomat • 9 May 2014

  • https://thediplomat.com/2014/05/the-oil-rig-crisis-asean-unity-and-vietnams-regime-stability/

• New hope in the New Year for Vietnamese democracy?

  East Asia Forum • 1 February 2014

  • https://eastasiaforum.org/2014/02/01/new-hope-in-the-new-year-for-vietnamese-democracy/

Watch & Listen

Follow Huong in conversation as she breaks down Southeast Asia's most pressing security challenges — from great power competition and ASEAN's strategic dilemmas to Vietnam's evolving place in the regional order.

• Calibrating China Ties - Vietnam

  China in the World • 9 July 2025

  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/calibrating-china-ties-vietnam/id738323123?i=1000716499361

• Indo-Pacific statecraft: deterrence and diplomacy

  The National Security Podcast • 2 May 2024

  • https://shows.acast.com/13de84ee-6f50-420b-9f5a-52e94d3a2597/6633114f7a2fce0012aec8da

    
    

• Reflecting on 50th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon with Dr. Huong Le Thu

  Straight Talk Southeast Asia • 30 April 2025

  • https://www.spreaker.com/episode/ep86-reflecting-on-50th-anniversary-of-the-fall-of-saigon-with-dr-huong-le-thu--65794900

More...

• Pivotal States: Testing the Limits of the U.S.-Vietnam Relationship

  Carnegie Endowment for International Peace • 1 February 2024

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcWazNVwpRY

• A Himalayan Rivalry and the Future of India-China Relations

  International Crisis Group • 22 November 2023

  • https://www.youtube.com/live/lVS1Usak4Mk

• De-risking the economic relationship with China: Views from the Indo-Pacific

  Brooking Institute • 3 October 2023

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkR_Osu1dMA

Last Updated: 4 April 2026