Young Leaders Program 2022 Panelists
THE 14TH SOUTH CHINA SEA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM
“PEACEFUL SEA-SOLID RECOVERY”
BIOGRAPHY
Paul Bobenhausen
Nationality: Australian, German
Affiliation: University of Tasmania
Contact: Paul.Bobenhausen@utas.edu.au
Paul is a fourth year undergraduate Law and Economics student at the University of Tasmania. He works for the university supporting several units including contract law. He has remained engaged with international affairs, particularly through the UN Youth. His interests center around de-escalation strategies in the Asia Pacific, and the meshing of traditional defense forces with emerging domains. He has a particular focus on space and has recently completed a paper for the Tasmanian minister of Science and Technology on Space Domain Awareness in Tasmania. He hopes to one day play a role in limiting conflict with China.
Yuxin Hou
Nationality: Chinese
Affiliation: Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
Contact: hou.yuxin@gmail.com
Yuxin Hou is currently pursuing a Master’s in International Affairs at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
Yuxin has a decade’s experience in the think tank industry and has extensive experience with 20+ public policy and socio-economic projects in the Asia-Pacific region especially in China and ASEAN countries.
Yuxin comments on geopolitics and international affairs-related issues. He writes for Caixin Media in China and is a contributor to the Asia Global Institute (AGI) of the University of Hong Kong, and the US-China Perception Monitor by The Carter Center. Yuxin is an avid outdoorsman and has trekked solo in the Alps, the Himalayas and to the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Apila Sangtam
Nationality: Indian
Affiliation: National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi, India
Contact: mongzar.apila@gmail.com
Apila Sangtam is an Associate Fellow at the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi, India. Her research work focuses on the issues of maritime geostrategies of ASEAN and its individual member-states in the context of the Indo-Pacific. Her interest cut across ASEAN Maritime Security Cooperation within the ASEAN-led fora: ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), the ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF), ASEAN+3 and the EAS (East Asia Summit). Her academic interests cover South China Sea (SCS), the US and India’s Indo-Pacific policy and its implications for Southeast Asia, and India- Vietnam relations.
She is also a PhD candidate in the Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, School of International Relations, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Daisy Joy L. Ortiz
Nationality: Filipino
Affiliation: Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Contact: djlortiz@iskolarngbayan.pup.edu.ph
Daisy is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines pursuing a BA in International Studies. Her interests include Philippine foreign relations, nuclear nonproliferation, and disarmament agendas, with a focus on incorporating non-military perspectives in challenging traditional views on nuclear weapons and the risks associated with the rise of artificial intelligence. She has attended numerous conferences and seminars, as well as events and online courses, which have expanded her knowledge and insights on a wide range of global issues, including those affecting the Indo-Pacific region, particularly the South China Sea.
Zebine Nissa Binti Sarfraz
Nationality: Malaysian
Affiliation: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia
Contact: zebine21@gmail.com
Zebine Nissa is a diplomat with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. She is currently pursuing the Master’s in International Affairs at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. During her time at the Ministry, Zebine served as Assistant Secretary in the Department of Policy and Strategic Planning, Department of Maritime Affairs and Department of Multilateral Affairs. She was also posted as the First Secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Rome, Italy from February 2016- January 2021. Prior to working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zebine served at the Public Service Commission, Malaysia and the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.
Liam Hoo Zhong Han
Nationality: Singaporean
Affiliation: National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
Contact: hoozhwilliam@gmail.com
Liam is a graduate from Yale-NUS College and is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. As a fledgling historian and public policy student, he is interested in interdisciplinary histories that critically examine socio-political issues from new perspectives. Liam has previously interned at Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information, and has also published articles at Rice Media, one of Singapore’s leading online publications. His experiences in the public sector, journalism and historical research synthesizes his skills at information gathering from original sources, complex analysis, and compelling storytelling.
Lin Ji Hong Amy
Nationality: Singaporean
Affiliation: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Contact: amylinjh@gmail.com
Amy is a final year International Relations and History undergraduate at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Her academic interests lie in Southeast Asian politics and security, Chinese foreign policy and the South China Sea dispute. In particular, she has a strong interest in media and communications, and is keen to explore the opportunities and challenges for public and diplomatic communications in the South China Sea dispute. She is also a student mentor on The Southeast Asia Exchange, editor for The Webster Review of International History and writer for The London Globalist (Asia and Australasia).
Le Thi Hoai Anh
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: lehoaianh2001.dav@gmail.com
Le Thi Hoai Anh is a senior student at Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, majoring in International Law. Currently, she is working as an intern at The Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies (IFPSS). Her research interests are South China Sea disputes, Indo-Pacific security, and China policy. In her copious time, she enjoys reading books and learning languages. Being a panelist of YLP 2022, Hoai Anh wishes to learn new knowledge and different perspectives from panelists, scholars and experienced experts.
Tran Thi Bich
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: University of Antwerp
Tran Thi Bich is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Antwerp. She has written on Vietnam-China, Vietnam-the United States, the Philippines-China, and Indonesia-the United States relations among other topics.
Mai Thanh Binh
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, National University Ho Chi Minh City
Contact: maithanhbinh2001@gmail.com
Mai Thanh Binh is a senior student majoring in International Relations at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, National University Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Her fields of research are International Relations Theory, Comparative Politics, and Public Policy. She is the President of IRNews Club, one of the most prominent school clubs publishing diverse forms of world news and commentaries on social media.
Lai Minh Chau
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: laiminhchau.dav@gmail.com
Lai Minh Chau is a graduate from Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), majoring in International Relations. Her research interests mostly focus on China, China’s policy, North East Asia, notably from the cultural-political perspective. She is eager to learn different perspectives on pressing issues in the South China Sea from other young leaders and is open to new knowledge.
Phan Xuan Dung
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
Contact: phan_xuan_dung@iseas.edu.sg
Phan Xuan Dung is Research Officer at the Vietnam Studies Programme, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute (Singapore) and a young leader at the Hawaii-based Pacific Forum. He received his MSc in Asian Studies from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and BA in International Relations from Tokyo International University. His research interests include Vietnam’s foreign policy, Vietnam War legacies, and Indo-Pacific geopolitics. He has published in Asia Policy Journal, International Journal of Asian Studies, Pacific Forum’s Issues and Insights series, ISEAS Perspective, East Asia Forum, The Diplomat, Fulcrum, and 9DashLine.
Nguyen Minh Hanh
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Fulbright University Vietnam
Contact: hanhminh2305@gmail.com
Hanh is currently a third-year student at Fulbright University Vietnam. Her major is History and she intends to specialize in diplomatic and economic history.
Vu Thi Hoai
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: hoaivu-vcl@dav.edu.vn
Vu Thi Hoai is a graduate from Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), majoring in International Relations. She graduated with Excellence in 2022. She is working as a research assistant at Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies.
Her interests are US foreign policy, US – China competition, multilateralism and Indo-Pacific security. During college time, she won The First Prize in DAV Research Competition with the topic “Impact of COVID-19 on US-China Decoupling”. She was co-author of 2 book review articles on International Relations Journal relating US-China competition in South East Asia.
Nguyen Cao Viet Hung
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Waseda University, Japan
Contact: ncviethung@fuji.waseda.jp
Nguyen Cao Viet Hung is a Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Political Science, Waseda University, Japan. His research interests are public opinions, territorial disputes and interstate conflicts.
Khang Do
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: University of Leeds
Contact: kddo@ucsd.edu
Khang is a PhD candidate in a joint program in Politics/International Studies and History at the University of Leeds in the UK. He earned his undergraduate degree in History and International Studies/International Relations at UC Irvine (USA). Khang then obtained his first Master degree in Business from the same institution and a second Master in International Affairs from UC San Diego (USA). His research lies primarily in the area of international relations theory, Asia and Indo-Pacific security, US foreign policy in Asia, and the political history of Vietnam.
Le Ngoc Mai
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: Lengocmaitee@gmail.com
Mai is a senior student majoring in International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and a former member of the DAV Student Research Club. Currently, she is working as an intern at the East Sea (South China Sea) Institute.
Her key research interest centers around the foreign policy of Vietnam and the Middle Powers, the impact of the US-China strategic competition, and the South China Sea disputes. Nevertheless, she is always open to discovering the reservoir of knowledge and ready to share her perspectives with peers across the region.
Do Kieu My
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: kieumy187201@gmail.com
Currently, Kieu My is a senior, majoring in International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. Since September 2022, she has become an intern at the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies (IFPSS), DAV. She has a huge passion for conducting research on IR-related fields, particularly Indo-Pacific – related issues like the US and China’s policies towards the region, regional multilateral frameworks, hot spots including the South China Sea issue… She believes the Young Leaders Program 2022 will be a great practical experience for us to broaden our horizons on academic knowledge, and fortify our essential soft skills to make good preparations for our current studies and future professions.
Nguyen Vu Ha Nam
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: nam24112001@gmail.com
Nam is a final year student majoring in International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. Acknowledging that the Young Leaders Program 2022 is a valuable opportunity for practitioners, scholars, experts and students who share interest in the South China Sea to come and discuss emerging issues, he is looking forward to learning and earning a lot more from this program.
Do Thi Thu Ngan
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: ngando26201@gmail.com
Ngan is currently a senior student majoring in International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. She is working as an Intern at the East Sea (South China Sea) Institute, DAV.
Pham Thi Hong Nhung
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Ho Chi Minh University of Social Sciences and Humanities
Contact: pthnhung.1308@gmail.com
Graduated from the faculty of International Relations in Ho Chi Minh University of Social Sciences and Humanities, for 2 years up to now, She’s accumulated a certain amount of understanding on international affairs through working as a translator/writer and assistant for some community-related and academic projects. Since YLP 2022 is believed to provide its participants with a profound dialogue on South China Sea issues, she hopes to construct such informative and enlightening discussions with other panelists.
Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao is a senior at the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam. Her major is International Law and she is interested in the Law of the Sea. Since September 2022, she has been an intern at The Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies (IFPSS).
Dao Thi Thanh Yen
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: yendao1502@gmail.com
Yen is a final year student majoring in International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. She is working as an intern at the East Sea (SCS) Institute. Her research interests revolve around the Indo-Pacific region, including the US – Sino competition and regional security hot spots, notably the South China Sea disputes and Korean Peninsula. She prefers a research approach through geopolitical and history-culture perspectives.
THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
MODERATOR
TRAN CHI TRUNG
Moderator/Programme Executive
Affiliation: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact:tranchitrungmofa@gmail.com/trung_tran@hks16.harvard.edu
Tran Chi TRUNG is currently Deputy Director General of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. He formerly was Assistant Director General of the Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
He holds a Master of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government under the Fulbright scholarship (2016) and a Bachelor of Business Administration at the Free University of Berlin, Germany (2009). He was a Visiting Fellow on the Vietnam War and international affairs at the Ash Center, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, MA, USA (2017).
His research interests include Vietnamese foreign policies, history and identity of Vietnamese diplomacy, American politics and foreign affairs, Chinese studies, forecasting frameworks in foreign policies, and adaptive leadership.
VU PHUONG ANH
Co-Moderator
Vu Phuong Anh is a Research Fellow of the Center for Major Power Studies, Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV). Her research interests span international relations, major power politics and competition, with a particular focus on the U.S.-China relationship within regional dynamics. Anh is currently pursuing a PhD degree and earned her M.A in International Relations from the DAV. She has a bachelor degree in Political Science from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. She serves as the co-moderator of the Young Leaders Program 2022.
PROGRAMME EXECUTIVE
NGUYEN PHUONG HOAI
Program Coordinator
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: phuonghoai.nguyen@dav.edu.vn
Nguyen Phuong Hoai is currently a Research Assistant at the East Sea Institute, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. She earned a Bachelor Degree of English with a specialization in International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in 2019. Her research focuses on the South China Sea, Vietnam’s foreign policy, ASEAN. She serves as the Program Coordinator and Executive of the Young Leaders Program.
LUU VIET HA
Communication Assistant
Luu Viet Ha is a Research Assistant at the South China Sea Institute, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV).
NGO TUNG DUONG
Communication Assistant
Ngo Tung Duong is a Research Assistant at the South China Sea Institute (DAV). He graduated from Korea University, majoring in International Studies.
PHAM THUY DUONG
Communication Assistant
Pham Thuy Duong is an English for International Relations senior at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. She is also a mentor of Academic Department of the DAV Japan Culture Club and also a volunteer for the 2021 Southeast Asian Games. She is currently working as an intern at the East Sea Institute (DAV). She is passionate about learning languages, especially Japanese and eager to learn. Her interests are cultural diplomacy, Japan, ASEAN, US-China competition, and South China Sea disputes.
DAO THI THANH YEN
Content Assistant
Nationality: Vietnamese
Affiliation: Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
Contact: yendao1502@gmail.com
Yen is a final year student majoring in International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. She is working as an intern at the East Sea (SCS) Institute. Her research interests revolve around the Indo-Pacific region, including the US – Sino competition and regional security hot spots, notably the South China Sea disputes and Korean Peninsula. She prefers a research approach through geopolitical and history-culture perspectives.