Discussions addressed a wide range of issues, including the evolving roles and policy adjustments of major powers and regional stakeholders, the rapid advancement of emerging technologies, and the increasing politicization of maritime innovation. These conversations aimed to identify practical measures for managing tensions, enhancing maritime cooperation, and fostering a shared commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
The conference’s central message - “Unity in Uncertainties” - served as a powerful call to uphold international law with an emphasis on UNCLOS, and pursue common interests such as freedom of navigation, peaceful dispute resolution, marine environmental protection, and sustainable development.
A highlight of this year’s conference was the Ambassadors’ Lounge, where we were honored to welcome H.E. Helga Barth, the German Ambassador to Vietnam, along with other distinguished ambassadors, for a discussion on the global significance of the South China Sea and shared responsibility in securing peace and stability in this crucial region.
As a long-standing strategic partner of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) played an active role in the conference. Mr. Lewe Paul, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Vietnam Resident Representative, moderated a session dedicated to amplifying the voices of young speakers. Alongside him, Mr. Thomas Yoshimura, Policy Advisor at KAS Berlin; Dr. Jan Asmussen, Senior Research Fellow at the Institut für Sozialwissenschaften in Kiel; and Ms. Alisa Hoenig, a German scholar and Master’s student of Philosophy in International Relations at the University of Oxford, also contributed to the conference.
Initiated by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and supported by partners such as KAS, the International Scientific Conference on the South China Sea continues to affirm its status as the region’s most prestigious forum for dialogue and research on maritime issues. It also underscores Vietnam’s pivotal role in promoting a peaceful, stable, free, and open maritime domain. For KAS, maritime security remains a strategic priority in its ongoing collaboration with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.
For more information, please visit: scsc.nghiencuubiendong.vn
