The Hà Nội regional conference, entitled “International Law and a Dynamic Asia”, attracted more than 50 speakers including academic experts, governmental officials and international legal scholars.— Photo vov.vn

HÀ NỘI — Regional co-operation on issues relating to keeping the peace and protecting security, human rights, international trade and investment, and environmental protection were discussed at the two-day regional conference of the Asian Society on International Law (Asiansil) in Hà Nội yesterday.

The Hà Nội regional conference, entitled “International Law and a Dynamic Asia”, attracted more than 50 speakers including academic experts, governmental officials and international legal scholars.

“The conference will provide great opportunities for all participants to benefit from exchanges of ideas, to learn from each other, to reinforce their understanding of recent developments in the region, and to enhance their capacity to cope with legal aspects of these developments,” Prof Nguyễn Vũ Tùng, acting President of the Diplomatic Academy of Việt Nam, said at the opening.

According to Paik Jin-hyun, president of the Asian Society of International Law, Asia is a dynamic region with its rapid economic development and accompanying political and social changes.

Dynamic Asia gives rise to many challenges for the State in the region, ranging from how to increase regional co-operation in various fields to the urgent task of managing potential conflicts and disputes that could threaten peace and stability, he said.

“International law may not be able to resolve all those challenges, but it can and should be an effective instrument in overcoming many of them,” he said. “I therefore believe that it is time for international law to address various challenges facing dynamic Asia.”

 “This is the first time Việt Nam has hosted this conference and it is very meaningful in the context of Viet Nam’s international integration,” said Ambassador Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hà, member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague and former director general, Department of International Law and Treaties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Việt Nam.

“The strong commitment of Viet Nam to international law compliance is clear evidence that Việt Nam strives to become a responsible member of the international community,” she told Việt Nam News.

Việt Nam also hopes to have more legal means to implement foreign policies for peace, stability and sustainable development, Hà said.

The conference is also focusing on aspects of development, including how to further promote regional co-operation in international trade and investment, to manage and peacefully settle potential territorial and maritime conflicts and to enhance protection of intellectual property rights.

The legal impacts of the newly signed Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, as well as the opportunities and challenges of the region after the recent establishment of the ASEAN Community, will be thoroughly discussed. — VNS