On October 19th and 20th, the University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City, in collaboration with the University of Tours (France), organized the 2023 international conference with the theme "The Phenomenon of Shifting Commercial Activities towards the Asia-Pacific Region - Impacts on the Policies of Economic Partners both Inside and Outside the Region in the Fields of Trade, Investment, and Environment".
Overview of the conference
The conference attracted speakers from many countries such as India, Canada, South Korea, Indonesia, Russia, Japan, France, Singapore, Thailand, China, and Vietnam...
In his opening remarks, Dr. Le Truong Son, the President of the University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City, stated that the Asia-Pacific region is considered the main economic engine of the world, where dynamic and powerful "dragon" and "tiger" economies converge, with high growth rates, attractive markets, and diligent young labor forces.
The Asia-Pacific countries hold strategic geographical and political positions. Therefore, over the past few decades, the Asia-Pacific has become the focal point of the pivot strategies of many large and small countries worldwide.
These strategies are not limited to trade and investment but are also designed based on calculations in various other aspects, including diplomacy and politics.
The pivot strategy towards the Asia-Pacific has, is, and will continue to dominate and influence the policies and laws of countries within and outside the region.
Especially, to implement this strategy, a dense and extensive network of trade liberalization agreements and investment protection has been signed among partners within the region and between partners within the region and those outside the region.
Dr. Le Truong Son, Rector of the University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City, gave a speech at the conference
Within this network, there are significant global agreements as well as many bilateral agreements of relatively smaller scale.
"As experts in law, economics, public policy, diplomacy, and politics, our task is to understand this dense network, grasp its key points, rules, and characteristics of these agreements," emphasized Dr. Le Truong Son.
The President of the University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City, raised the question that we must also answer: How do these agreements and their enforcement contribute to the goals of ensuring security, sustainable development, economic growth, environmental preservation, and protecting human rights at the national, regional, and global levels, ensuring fairness, and supporting developing countries?
Delegates listening to discourses
During the two-day conference, legal experts analyzed, discussed, and exchanged experiences in building and enforcing legal provisions, principles, and international commitments in the new-generation free trade agreements.
The conference also provided a platform for dialogue among government agencies, scholars, businesses, legal advisors from Vietnam, ASEAN, and other partners engaged in international trade, business, and investment activities. This helped integrate the activities of business entities in import-export, energy, trade in services, technology, legal services, etc., with the realities of modern international trade.