CONFERENCE ON “THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR THE EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF VIETNAM’S FISHERIES ENTERPRISES”

From the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the conference welcomed:

• Dr. Nguyễn Hùng Sơn, Acting President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
  

  

• Dr. Nguyễn Thị Minh Phương, Acting Dean of the Faculty of International Economics, Principal Investigator
  

  

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ukraine and Moldova
  

  

• Ambassador Tào Thị Thanh Hương, Former Ambassador of Vietnam to Singapore
  

  

• Mr. Dương Thanh Bình, Deputy Chief of Office, in charge of the Office of the Diplomatic Academy
  
  
• Dr. Đỗ Thanh Hải, Deputy Director of the East Sea Institute
• Lecturers, researchers of the Academy, members of research teams
  

  

• Top 16 contestants of Economist Up 2025 and many students
  
  

From the speakers, the Conference was honored to host leading experts, including:

• Mr. Nguyễn Hoài Nam, Chief of Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  
  
• Dr. Lê Hoàng Oanh, Director General, Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy, Ministry of Industry and Trade
  
  
• Mr. Chu Thắng Trung, Deputy Director General, Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam, Ministry of Industry and Trade
  
  
• Dr. Nguyễn Thị Phương Dung, Head of Science, Technology and International Cooperation, Directorate of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment
  
  
• Ms. Phùng Thị Kim Thu, Editor-in-Chief, Fisheries Trade Newsletter, Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP)
  
  
• Dr. Nguyễn Thị Vũ Hà, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Economics and International Business, University of Economics, Vietnam National University - Hanoi
  
  
• Dr. Nguyễn Hà Phương, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Institute for Asia-Pacific Studies
  
  

From the invited guests, the Conference was pleased to welcome:

• Prof. Dr. Hoàng Khắc Nam, Chair of Program KX.06
  
  
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thị Bích Loan, Vice Rector, University of Commerce
  
  
• Dr. Trần Hoàng Long, Deputy Director, Institute for Asia-Pacific Studies
  
  
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Hữu Dũng, President, Vietnam Marine Farming Association
  
  
• Representatives from ministries, agencies, and coordinating institutions: University of Economics - VNU Hanoi; Institute for Asia-Pacific Studies - VASS; Institute of Strategy and Policy on Finance; Directorate of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance; VASEP; along with managers, experts, researchers, lecturers, and business representatives.
  
  

Opening the Conference, Dr. Nguyễn Hùng Sơn emphasized the role of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in connecting academia, policymakers, and the business community. He also officially announced the national-level research project on enhancing the effectiveness of international economic integration for Vietnam’s fisheries enterprises entering the EU market. He stressed the strategic significance of the project in improving integration capacity, competitiveness, and export value of Vietnam’s fisheries sector, especially as the EVFTA opens new opportunities for market access. Although the fisheries sector contributes substantially to GDP and exports, integration into the EU market remains challenging due to technical, regulatory, and competitiveness barriers. The Conference provided a platform for experts, scholars, managers, and enterprises to exchange theoretical and practical insights, contributing to solutions that support sustainable development and strengthen the research project.

Beginning the presentation sessions, Dr. Nguyễn Thị Minh Phương, Principal Investigator, presented an overview of the project, including its objectives and research activities. Addressing the current limitations in international economic integration among Vietnamese fisheries enterprises, the research team emphasized the need to shift from “participation” to “effective integration,” positioning enterprises at the center of this process. The presentation clarified key concepts and domestic and international perspectives on integration effectiveness, highlighting experiences from China, Norway, and Thailand. Based on this, the team proposed a framework of viewpoints and five groups of criteria to assess integration effectiveness: enterprise awareness; capacity to meet EU import requirements; competitiveness; participation in value chains; and overall impacts of integration. This provided a valuable theoretical foundation to guide policies and strengthen integration capacity in the context of new-generation integration.

The subsequent sessions presented diverse perspectives from regulatory bodies, industry associations, and businesses, while drawing on international experiences to enhance integration effectiveness for Vietnam’s fisheries sector. Topics discussed included:

• Vietnam’s fisheries sector in the context of international economic integration
  
  
• The role of economic diplomacy in supporting fisheries enterprises
  
  
• EU trade remedy regulations and lessons for responding to investigations involving Vietnamese seafood
  
  
• International economic integration of Vietnam's fisheries enterprises
  
  
• Enhancing integration effectiveness through e-commerce
  
  
• India’s and Ecuador’s integration experiences in entering the EU market
  
  
• International integration strategies of Nissui Group (Japan) and lessons for Vietnam
  
  
• China’s fisheries integration experience in the EU market
  
  
• Tuna export experience from NIRSA - Ecuador and lessons for Vietnam
  

  

With 10 presentations across four in-depth thematic sessions, the Conference aimed to clarify theoretical and practical issues and introduce new approaches to improving integration capacity for fisheries enterprises in the current context. Concluding the discussions, experts agreed that enhancing integration effectiveness requires close coordination among the government, enterprises, and relevant organizations. Strengthening competitiveness, meeting international standards, utilizing new trade channels such as e-commerce, and learning from global experiences are crucial for enabling Vietnam’s fisheries sector to expand in the EU and global markets.

The Conference successfully created a forum for exchange among experts, businesses, and related institutions, contributing to the development of policies and strategies for deeper and more effective international integration of Vietnam’s fisheries sector. The insights gained are expected to serve as a foundation for future research and policymaking while inspiring the younger generation in advancing the sustainable development of Vietnam’s fisheries industry.