Ladies and gentlemen, glad to address you from Brussels. It is an honour for me to represent the European Union at this very important conference and I would like to extend the best wishes of High Representative Josep Borrell to all of you. Wish I were in beautiful Hanoi with many of you, and wish I had just had lunch like you, with delicious Vietnamese food! Yes, the Covid-19 pandemic affects and constrains the way we live and the way we work. And yet, despite the pandemic, here at the European Union we are busy strengthening our Common Security and Defence Policy. We are working on: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) between our Member States, which helps develop new defence capabilities – including promising maritime projects, for instance new anti-mine systems and fighting assets A new European Defence Fund with a budget of 7 billion euro in our new financial framework…

On November 16, 2020, Canadian Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, delivered a welcoming dinner keynote address of the 12 annual Conference on the South China Sea, hosted by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. The speech highlights some important aspects of Canadian defense and foreign policy relating to the South China Sea. First, through the defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, Canada acknowledges the importance of the Asia-Pacific region to Canadian security and prosperity. Minister Sajjan emphasized Canada’s commitment to being a strong partner and ally, and the important role the Canadian Armed Forces plays through its consistent engagement and strong partnerships in the region.  Second, Canada supports role and  efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in fostering cooperation and mutual respect between nations, as well as strengthening regional security. Third, Canada stresses on the importance of global order based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on…

Dear Dr Pham Lan Dung (Acting President of the DAV), Dear colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my great pleasure to be here with you,  after this first intensive day of work and exchanges, in the frame of the 12th international Conference on South China Sea. No need to remind the importance of this event, organised now for 12 consecutive years, and which the EU is happy to co-sponsor for the second time. Over the years, the South China Sea conference organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam has established a solid reputation in the region, among scholars and practitioners, decision makers and diplomats, to be one of the key event in the course of the year, allowing frank and open debate, on issues related to maritime security in the South China Sea – or East Sea. The topic is not new, but the stakes are getting every day higher, in the backdrop…

Phát biểu khai mạc Hội thảo quốc tế Biển Đông lần thứ 12 TS. Phạm Lan Dung, Quyền Giám đốc Học viện Ngoại giao Việt Nam (Hà Nội, ngày 16/11/2020)       Kính thưa ông Nguyễn Văn Quyền, Chủ tịch Hội Luật gia Việt Nam,       Kính thưa các Quý Ông/ Quý Bà Đại sứ, đại diện Đoàn Ngoại giao,       Kính thưa các Quý vị đại biểu và khách quý, Tôi rất vui nhiệt liệt chào mừng Quý vị tham dự Hội thảo khoa học quốc tế về Biển Đông lần thứ 12 với chủ đề “Duy trì hoà bình và hợp tác trong bối cảnh có nhiều biến động” do Học viện Ngoại giao phối hợp với Hội Luật gia Việt Nam và Quỹ Hỗ trợ Nghiên cứu Biển Đông tổ chức. Tôi đặc biệt chào mừng các bạn ở khắp nơi đang tham…

Opening remarks at the 12th South China Sea International Conference Dr. Phạm Lan Dung, Acting President, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam  16 November 2020 Excellency Bui Thanh Son, First Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Nguyễn Văn Quyền, Chairman of the Vietnam Lawyers’ Association Excellency Ambassadors, Representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very pleased to warmly welcome you to the 12th International Conference on the East Sea (South China Sea) themed “Maintaining Peace and Cooperation through Time of Turbulence” by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in collaboration with the Foundation for East Sea Studies (FESS) and the Vietnam Lawyers’ Association (VLA). I especially welcome guests from around the World who are attending this year’s Conference online, the first time this Conference to do so. I regret that the Covid-19 pandemic does not allow us to have a direct meeting as usual.    Ladies and Gentlemen,    Since the beginning of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has…