Johnny Zhen is a master’s student in the Department of History at the University of British Columbia. His research interests include the foreign relations of the People’s Republic of China, the Indochina Wars, and the history of the Cultural Cold War. His current research focuses on visual sources, such as photographs, comics, and posters, to explore Sino-Vietnamese cultural exchanges, propaganda efforts, and key personality dynamics during the Second Indochina War.

Research Interests: Global Cold War; Indochina Wars; Sino-Vietnamese Relations; Cultural Diplomacy; Propaganda Studies; PRC Foreign Relations

Conference Presentations:

“‘Propaganda Diplomacy’ and the Forging of a Sino-Vietnamese Alliance, 1964-1969.” Individual Paper Presentation. Association of Asian Studies Annual Conference 2025, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

“Fraternal Friendship: Ho Chi Minh and the Chinese Communist Party in the Making of Sino-Vietnamese Solidarity, 1955-1975.” Paper Presentation. Shifting Tides Graduate History Conference 2025, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.