Veranstaltungen

The 7th Ocean Dialogue

Emerging Maritime Issues from Legal Perspectives

The seventh dialogue with the theme of evaluating arising sea-related issues from the perspective of international law has recently been held virtually, drawing over 250 domestic and foreign experts, as well as delegates from foreign representative agencies in Hanoi and the media. The event was jointly organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), the British Embassy in Vietnam and the Kondras Adenauer Stiftung Foundation (KAS). In his opening speech, Deputy Director of the DAV Dr. Nguyen Hung Son said the academy wants to promote dialogues on emerging legal issues to raise public awareness of and reach consensus on the interpretation and application of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), thereby laying a foundation for marine cooperation activities in the region. The organisers hoped that via the dialogue, parties will offer initiatives in line with international law to promote cooperation in the field, he said. British Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Marcus Winsley highlighted the 1982 UNCLOS as a foundation for ocean governance. The UK considers freedom of navigation as the most important as its trade with Asia relies on key marine routes in the region, he said. The UK also shares the same concern with countries, especially Pacific island nations, over the sea level rise, the diplomat said. Florian Constantin Feyerabend, from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation, affirmed that Germany always considers safety and freedom of maritime trade routes as common important benefits, supports rules-based order at sea and pledges to protect international law. Participants at the event shared the impacts of the sea level rise on coastal nations in the region and the world. They underscored the importance of ensuring the stability of international law and suggested measures and scenarios to cope with the sea level rise from national, regional and international perspectives. According to them, freedom, safety and security of navigation have been stipulated in important international conventions such as the 1982 UNCLOS and guidelines within the framework of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Scholars expressed their interest in the East Sea and concerns over marine claims that run counter to the 1982 UNCLOS and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)'s ruling on the Philippines' lawsuit in 2016. They stressed need to continue maintaining rules-based order at sea in the Indo-Pacific and suggested ASEAN reach common consensus on rights to travelling at sea. Via seven editions of the dialogue, the DAV published quality publications about fishing cooperation, marine governance in the East Sea, dealing with plastic wastes, enhancing ASEAN cooperation in the East Sea, and the European Union’s sustainable development experience./.

PRIORITIES AND OUTLOOK FOR CHINA’S FOREIGN POLICY FROM PRESENT TO THE 2OTH PARTY CONGRESS

China Talk 17

Over the last 5 years, KAS Vietnam has been supporting its partner – Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam organized the China Talk series, and this is now the 17th China Talk with the topic is “Priorities and outlook for China's foreign policy from present to the 20th Party Congress“. This topic was selected in the context that China's communist party is preparing for its 20th Party Congress at the end of the 2022 with multiple issues of interest related to the economy, the pandemic, the relation with the US and their partners… But there is also the question of Xi Jinping's leadership and the question of a possible succession. The main speaker for China talk 17 is Richard McGregor, senior fellow at the Lowy Institute, Australia. Richard McGregor is an award-winning journalist and author of many valuable publications. Richard is also known as an expert on China’s political system and the workings and structure of the communist party. The two commentators provided insightful comments over the topic are: 1. Mr. Ewan Lawson, former Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and 2. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, Director, Centre for International Studies (SCIS), University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University ‐ Ho Chi Minh City. Moderator of the event is Dr Le Dinh Tinh, Director General, Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. For the first time, a China Talk has to run completely virtual. Still, it received more than hundred online participants. China Talk series is always one of the greatest joint activities between KAS Vietnam and Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and it showed that learning and understanding about China seems to be the never ending. The China Talk 18 is expected to be organized in October 2021.

5th German-Asian Business Dialogue

In Asien wird über die Zukunft der internationalen Ordnung entschieden

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Synthesizing and Approving the Final Accounts of Provincial Budget

Experts share experiences in verifying and approving local budget

The National Assembly’s Finance and Budget Committee and KAS Vietnam jointly organize a seminar to arm officials of People’s Councils and People’s Committee in the Northern region with the skills in synthesizing and approving the final accounts of provincial budget.

Training seminar

Criminal Liability of Legal Entities

The criminal liability of commercial legal persons is new [to many countries not only Vietnam, as before, it was considered as administrative sanctions only] but a compulsory regulation in legal system, particularly in the time of rapid, complicated and integrated economic development for both Vietnam and other countries in the world. Vietnam, a rapid developing country, a destination for many foreign investors, a social oriented market economy…thus enhancing legal system to timely prevent and counter violated acts committed by commercial legal person is a Must. Given that, today, 30 September 2020, KAS Vietnam in collaboration with The Criminal and Administrative Legislation Department, Ministry of Justice co-organised a training seminar on “Raising awareness of law enforcement officers on criminal liability of legal entities in criminal law”. Speaking at opening remarks, Mr. Peter Girke, KAS Country Representative highly appreciated Vietnam’s political will in enhancement of the national legal framework and also applauded Vietnam as one of pioneers in criminalization liability of legal entities. Peter Girke also shared that in Germany, a criminal verdict is tied to the ethical question of whether an individual’s conduct presents an autonomous decision to violate rules and duties. There is a basic assumption that only individuals can take such autonomous decisions. Therefore, only individuals can be held liable for their behavior. However, that does not mean that legal entities would get away with it entirely in Germany. Where the German Criminal Code would hinder prosecution of legal persons, still the individuals acting on behalf of that legal person would be held liable instead – which, however, may be difficult for example if several individuals worked in a collective at a company. More than 100 participants coming from different law enforcement agencies from central to provincial levels, including prosecutors, judges and polices shall have full day for sharing their practical experiences, difficulties and challenges in their work. This activity is under the umbrella of the big program State Rules of Law which was agreed by the two governments Vietnam and Germany. Mr. Do Duc Hien, Director General, The Department of Administrative and Criminal Legislation showed his gratitude to KAS continuous support to MOJ over the years and hope that this seminar training will help providing knowledge and information that benefit for all practitioners.

International Relations in The Asia-Pacific Region: The Role of the EU and the Us

The EU and the US’s Asia-Pacific Policies: Expectation of ASEAN and the Region

KAS Vietnam and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities successfully organized the workshop entitled “International Relations in the Asia-Pacific Region: the role of the EU and the US” on September 29th. Speakers at the workshop were Deputy Head and First Counsellor of the EU Delegation - Mrs. Axelle Nicaise, German Ambassador to Vietnam - Dr. Guido Hildner, the USA Embassy’s Political Counselor - Mr. Noah Zaring, Head of Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ European Department - Mr. Dinh Toan Thang and Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam’s Strategic Institute - Dr. Le Dinh Tinh.

ASEAN And The Rules Based Regional Order In The Making

Rules-based [international] order is defined as the notion that all are bound by a global set of rules, an international law above power. After the Second World War the United States sought to create a more rules-based international order and drove the creation of new institutions, chiefly the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization. Order is necessary to reduce chaos. But whether the international order is just, fair, depends on the type of international order it is. Many “realists” argue that the rules-based order is a fiction and that international relations are still determined by power. Truth is somewhere in the middle. International relations are not defined exclusively by either power or rules, and the distinction between the two is not always clear cut The idea of a “Rules-Based Global Order”, and the need for it, has risen to prominence in recent years. Various ideas of a “rules-based global order” have been promoted by various countries and organizations. However, the concept of a “rules-based global order” is still ambiguous. At the regional level, a big concern today is that multiple “orders” start to emerge. However, it is necessary to explore a possible existence of consensus on a rules-based regional order. ASEAN countries are among top affected when set rules lose cohesion and abidance. ASEAN is severely tested, adrift and divided. It is imperative for ASEAN to finds constructive solutions to maintain its relevance and centrality in regional processes. A big question for ASEAN now is to explore the possible existence of consensus on RBO, what rules are to be followed, what visions actors have about the institutions that must be used to establish the rules, what their mechanisms would be, and how decisions are reached within them? Today’s topic is very on time and useful for ASEAN and Vietnam itself, especially in its years as chairmanship of ASEAN. Policy recommendation is expected as follow-up of this workshop. KAS and DAV hope this conference provided a good platform for exchanging ideas among scholars in ASEAN and ASEAN’s partners on the reshaping of a new regional rules-based order and ASEAN’s role in the process.

Innovation for Networked Security Policy - A Competition for Undergraduate Students

The competition to find out solution for food insecurity and climate change

The competition “Innovation for Networked Security Policy -Coping with Food Insecurity and Climate Change", co-organised by KAS and University of Social Sciences and Humanities attrated

The 15th China Talk

Understanding China’s Role in Contemporary Southeast Asia

In the Southeast Asian region, China, on the one hand, is the largest trading partner for most Asean countries. However, on the other hand, China is considered as the biggest challenge for ASEAN countries in relation to security, including but not limited to the South China Sea’s disputes, Mekong water’s sources, etc… China’s assertiveness affected not only ASEAN countries, but also peace and stability in the entire region. This Covid time again proves the dependence of the world to China, from foods, medicines to Chinese tourists, raw materials, etc… Southeast Asian countries are among top affected since China is their biggest export market as well as the raw material importing. In other words, Southeast Asian countries are in the horns of a dilemma: they want to have bigger voice against China in security related issues but while still rely too much on China economically. The topic made by Prof. Hiebert was captured from his latest book published in August 2020 - Under Beijing's Shadow: Southeast Asia's China Challenge – which provides a snapshot of ten countries in Southeast Asia by exploring their diverse experiences with China and how this impacts their perceptions of Beijing’s actions and its long-term political, economic, military, and “soft power” goals in the region. Commentators from the talk also shared the view by determining that it is impossible to have a general theoretical framework [in relation with China] that apply for all ASEAN countries since they are very diverse. Loving and hating are in parallel and that national interest of each country will drive their strategy toward China./.

UNSC Simulation Game: A co-organised activity between KAS Vietnam, DAV and CRISP Berlin

Currently, both Vietnam and German are non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Councils. That is why the Diplomatic Academy and KAS chose the setting of the UNSC as this year’s topic for the simulation game The simulation was designed to help students to understand how UNSC works and how members interact with each other. 32 key players represented 15 countries (2 players per team) who are permanent and non-permanent members of UNSC plus two rapporteurs. Over several days, including preparation with training, in the simulation game they discussed and drafted a resolution for the operation of the UN mission MINUSMA in Mali. This activity was designed to introduce a simulation as educational tools for students to enhance their analytical and practical skills. It was aimed to put students in a choreographed scenario with concrete roles to play and specific purposes to complete. The students were expected to study and analyze the scenario by given materials and additional readings. Later on, they were pushed to play assigned roles and behave accordingly. The game provided a safe space, in which the participants could experience the dynamics of conflictual situations and experiment with different types of behavior. As the participants were stepping into roles which might be very different from their own, they also could develop their empathy and understanding of other positions and perspectives Overall, the project was seen as a pilot step to introduce simulation as a means to develop students' skills, expertise and relational abilities into the DAV curriculum. Another outcome of the activity was to provide a tool for students to test whether concepts, models and theories learned by textbooks and during classes would have concrete utility and help explain the realities. The simulation was designed to help students to understand how the UNSC works and how members interact with each other. This is the second time KAS Vietnam supported DAV to organize a simulation game with the participation of students. In 2019, the ASEAN Simulation Game, also with support and material from CRISP Berlin, received great appreciation of both students and DAV lecturers. This co-initiated and co-organised activity by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, KAS Vietnam and CRISP represented a joint effort to innovate teaching methods in Vietnam.