Ambassador Pham Lan Dung: The 10th Plenary Conference of AsianSIL affirms Vietnam's commitment to promoting international law in the region

Ambassador, Dr. Pham Lan Dung affirmed that Vietnam's hosting of the 10th AsianSIL Plenary Conference in October 2025 in Hanoi is an important milestone, affirming the S-shaped country's commitment to promoting international law in the region, as well as its organizational capacity, prestige and the growth of its human resources in the field of international law.

In 2024, in his capacity as President of the Asian Society of International Law (AsianSIL), Ambassador Dr. Pham Lan Dung (third from left) and the Organizing Committee of the host country chaired the Mid-Term Conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo: NVCC)

The Asian Society of International Law (AsianSIL) is an important regional forum for scholars, practitioners and people interested in international law in Asia, with the desire to open up a space for academic exchange, promote the role of the continent in international law and increase awareness of international law in the region.

Ambassador, Dr. Pham Lan Dung, gave an interview to The World and Vietnam Newspaper about Vietnam's outstanding marks in the Asian international legal community.

Dear Ambassador, in 2023, you were elected as Chair of AsianSIL, becoming the first Vietnamese to hold the position, and also the second female Chair of the forum . What does this mean to you personally and to Vietnam?

Being elected as President of AsianSIL is an honor for me personally and for the community of researchers, practitioners, teachers and students of international law in Vietnam.

This also shows that AsianSIL has trusted and appreciated the level of commitment and contribution of me and my colleagues at the Diplomatic Academy in particular, and of Vietnam in general, to promoting the development of international law in the region.

This is also a testament to the growth of the team of officials, experts and lawyers on international law in Vietnam, as well as the level of interest Vietnam has in international law - a field of great significance in the country's international integration process.

In addition, AsianSIL opens up valuable opportunities for Vietnam to actively participate in international integration, especially in the field of international law as an active and responsible member, promoting the achievement of specific goals in this field.

Ambassador can share more about What are Vietnam's most notable achievements at AsianSIL in recent years?

Vietnam has had representatives participating in the AsianSIL Executive Committee at different stages.

In 2016, with the determination of Dr. Nguyen Dang Thang (currently Director of the Department of Law and International Treaties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs) - a member of the AssianSIL Executive Committee of that term, Vietnam successfully hosted the Mid-Term Conference in Hanoi in August 2016, attracting a large number of international scholars and experts and leaving an important mark. Since then, Vietnam has contributed significantly to many topics discussed by AsianSIL, from maritime law, human rights to international trade.

In 2022, I was nominated to the Executive Committee and then elected as Vice President of AsianSIL. In an effort to spread the understanding of international law and AsianSIL, my team of lecturers and I, the Faculty of International Law, Diplomatic Academy, have implemented a number of projects to promote the participation of Vietnamese lecturers and students in AsianSIL. In 2024, as President of AsianSIL, I co-chaired the Mid-term Conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan, together with the Organizing Committee of the host country.

In particular, Vietnam will host the 10th AsianSIL General Conference in October 2025 in Hanoi, with the participation of hundreds of speakers from all over Asia and the world. This is an important milestone, affirming the S-shaped country's commitment to promoting international law in the region, as well as its organizational capacity, converging prestige and the growth of its human resources in the field of international law.

Along with her, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh also holds the position of Vice President. What do you think about the event that for the first time, AsianSIL has both a female President and Vice President, both from Vietnam?

When Vietnam registered to host the 10th Conference, we were well aware that to realize this commitment, we would need a team that is knowledgeable about international law, professional, dedicated and responsible.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh is my number one choice for the position of Head of the Conference Organizing Committee. At the same time, I also recommended her for the position of Vice President of AsianSIL and received high support from the Executive Committee.

This is also the first time that a country has had both the President and Vice President of AsianSIL being women. I believe that, from a certain perspective, this is also a strong message about gender equality and the active participation of Asian female scholars in the field of international law. Thereby, it proves that Vietnam has a team of young, dynamic scholars with the capacity to integrate internationally.

In addition, we are supported by a team of lecturers from the Faculty of International Law, Diplomatic Academy. Many of them are female lecturers with good professional skills and good foreign languages ​​such as Dr. Ngo Thi Trang, Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee; Ms. Nguyen Hai Duyen, Ms. Vu Thi Ngoc Trang, Ms. Trinh Phuong Thao, Ms. Bui Thu Thuy.

Ambassador, Dr. Pham Lan Dung. (Photo: NVCC)

What opportunities is the AsianSIL 2025 Plenary Conference in Hanoi expected to bring to Vietnamese researchers, lecturers and students, Ambassador?

This will be Asia’s largest academic forum on international law. Researchers, legal practitioners, diplomats, lawyers, and lecturers will have the opportunity to participate in 20 sessions as speakers, moderators, or attendees, and have the opportunity to interact, exchange, and even debate on topics of international law with experts from across Asia.

In the context of the world facing extremely complex and unprecedented changes like today, when the international legal system is facing serious challenges, especially in areas such as ensuring international peace and security, respecting sovereign equality, political independence and territorial integrity of nations, prohibiting the threat of using force and using force in international relations... I believe that this is a unique forum for us to share, discuss, and clarify issues that are the focus of discussion and causing much controversy in the world.

In addition to the official sessions, the Conference also has a separate session for international law students from many countries and universities training international law in Vietnam. It can be said that the Conference is a valuable opportunity for young Vietnamese students and researchers to directly contact international scholars, expand their networks, and at the same time introduce their capabilities to the world.

During his term as President, what issues will the Ambassador prioritize?

Bringing AsianSIL closer to young people, lecturers, researchers and students in Vietnam and other Asian countries is my first goal. Inspiring passion for international law and spreading knowledge of this field to a wider audience is my second goal.

In addition, we strive to promote in-depth research on international law in Vietnam, while contributing to increasing the position of Vietnam and Vietnamese experts in this field, aiming for the S-shaped country to have more representatives in international judicial bodies.

With that approach, Vietnam's hosting of the 10th Plenary Conference, attracting the participation of hundreds of international speakers from all Asian countries and representatives of other continents, created a continental-scale international legal science forum. Here, anyone can directly attend, contribute, present opinions, and share views.

What message does the Ambassador have for young lecturers and students interested in AsianSIL?

AsianSIL is not only for professors, lawyers, and senior scholars. Students, researchers, and young lecturers can become members, participate in events, contribute ideas, write articles, conduct research, and receive scholarships and support from the organization.

I believe that this is an opportunity for you to practice, publish academically and connect internationally. Please join boldly, practice and develop. One day in the future, you will be the Presidents and Vice Presidents of AsianSIL.

Thank you very much, Ambassador!

The Asian Society of International Law (AsianSIL) organizes its biennial General Conference, with the participation of scholars and international law experts from many Asian countries and around the world. Through 9 times of organization, the Conference has made its mark and succeeded in building a forum for professional exchange in the fields of international law, while connecting the international law research community in Asia.

In 2025, the Diplomatic Academy in collaboration with AsianSIL will organize the 10th Plenary Conference with the theme "Enhancing the role of international law in Asia", from October 9-10. The program is expected to have the participation of leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; leaders of the Ministry of Justice; representatives of training and research institutions; representatives of many international organizations; leading international law experts from Vietnam and the world.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dai-su-pham-lan-dung-hoi-nghi-toan-the-lan-thu-10-cua-asiansil-khang-dinh-cam-ket-cua-viet-nam-trong-thuc-day-luat-phap-quoc-te-o-khu-vuc-329540.html