Korean side has Prof. Duk-min Yun – Chancellor of KNDA, representatives and experts of Korean Embassy and Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs joined in the conference. Vietnam has Dr. Tran Quang Minh – Director of Institute of Northeast Asian Studies, Associate Prof. Dr. Pham Quy Long – Deputy Director of Institute of Northeast Asian Studies and head of VASS’s Institutes.
Today, Asia Pacific has expanded up to 50 countries with total population reached 4 billions people. This figure is 8 to 10 times higher than European Union. Among 50 countries, there are some owned a large area and world highest population such as Russia, China, United States, India, and Indonesia. This area is also a potential region for military. Regard of politics. Asia Pacific has 3 of 5 countries, who are standing member of the United Nations, are China, United States and Russia. From the economic perspective, GDP of 21 country member of APEC has accounted 50% of GDP and 40% of global commercial service. Hence, many researchers have forecasted that the 21st century will be the century of Asia Pacific.
In the opening speech, both Prof. Duk-min Yun and Dr. Tran Quang Minh strengthened that Vietnam and Korea has a friendly relationship with many mutual points related to history, culture and experiences learned from the past. Over the years, the diplomatic relations of two counties has been improved to a higher level as a strategic partnership, focusing on maintaining the mutual peach and prospect. Dr. Tran Quang Minh also stated that Asia Pacific is a potential region for growth and there will be a great future for the region with stable politics. Today, however, Asia Pacific is changing and facing with big challenges such as the rising of China, the rebalance of United States in Asia, the military power strengthening of member country. All of these have raised a question of for researchers to study on. It is what will be the strategic plan of Asia Pacific region in the near future
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The conference has 3 research papers presented including: (1) “The highlights of political – security situation in East Asia today (Dr. Hoang Minh Hang – Institute of Northeast Asian Studies, VASS); (2) “The strategic circumstance of Asia Pacific region and the relationship between Vietnam and Korea” (Associate Prof. Dr. Wooseon Choi - KNDA); (3) “The competition of China and Japan and their impacts on East Asia” (Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Nghiep – Institute of Northeast Asian Studies, VASS).
The research papers focused on analyzing the changes of political – security situation in Asia Pacific and highlighted as 5 major issues: (1) The “super dual” is forming more clearly in the area due the impacts of the China – Japan relationship; (2) The trend of military power increase of nations and regions in the Asia Pacific (China. Japan); (3) The increase of hot places in Korea Peninsula while Taiwan Coast is basically got some ease; (4) The sovereignty dispute related to islands and maritime between Japan, China, South Korea and Russia; (5) The lack of security collaboration mechanism for whole region. These changes in Northeast and Asia Pacific have has influences on surrounding countries such as Vietnam and South Korea, especially the island sovereignty with China.
In this circumstance, Vietnam and Korea have had solutions to improve their strategic relationship which are: (1) Improvement of the mutual understanding about strategic situation based on the sharing of mutual benefits; (2) Collaboration on maritime security and conservation for the maritime transportation; (3) Efforts to establish the trust to solve sovereignty dispute in a peaceful way; (4) Improvement of defense commercial and technological collaboration in order to strengthen Vietnam navy and Vietnam border defense force; (5) Improvement of economic collaboration and social – cultural exchanges.
The conference is an useful forum for scholars to discuss and share their viewpoint as well as show the interest and mutual understandings about current issues of Asia Pacific such as security environment or the ownership on sea of countries. These aimed to improve the exchange between scholars of VASS and KNDA and contributed to the strategic relationship between two countries in future.
Nguyen Thu Trang
