VNU-USSH collaborates with KAS in research on the EU's approach to cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The EU’s Approach to Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Region: From Strategy to Practice” is a research project jointly conducted by the Faculty of International Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-USSH) and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Vietnam Institute (KSA). The project aims to explore the European Union’s (EU) approach to cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and its impact on countries in the region.
According to VNU-USSH scientists, the Indo-Pacific region encompasses many important and comprehensive partners of the European Union and its member states. The EU Council's conclusion on the EU's strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, issued in April 2021, affirms that the EU needs to strengthen its presence and actions in this region, contributing to stability, security, prosperity, and sustainable development, based on promoting democracy, national law, and international law.
The increasing interest and presence of the EU and its member states in the Indo-Pacific region will bring about changes and impacts on the security structure and international relations in this highly anticipated region. This is also Vietnam's direct international relations environment, encompassing strategic relationships and its most important partners.
Therefore, research on international relations in the region in general, and the approaches of major powers and important international entities such as the EU, is extremely necessary. Recognizing these rapid changes, the research project on "The EU's Approach to the Indo-Pacific Region: From Strategy to Practice" was implemented in three phases and achieved several valuable results.The first phase of the study, completed in 2021, and the second phase, completed in 2022, provided a relatively comprehensive picture of the EU's Indo-Pacific strategy, the views of several member states and France, Germany, and the Netherlands, as well as the initial perspectives of several key actors in the region and Vietnam on this strategy. Following the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and especially the conflict in Ukraine, the regional and global security, political, and economic situation has undergone significant changes. In this context, the prospects for implementing the EU's Indo-Pacific cooperation strategy face certain difficulties and challenges, and countries are compelled to make appropriate adjustments. Therefore, phase 3 of the study focuses on analyzing the impacts of the changing context on the EU's cooperation strategy in the Indo-Pacific region and the prospects for cooperation in the security, diplomatic, and economic fields in this region. Sharing the research findings of this project, Mr. Florian Feyerabend - Head Representative of KAS Vietnam, said that the Indo-Pacific has become a fascinating geopolitical center of the 21st century. This is a region geographically distant from the European Union, but it is of vital importance to both the prosperity and security of the European Union. The EU's strategy for the Indo-Pacific acknowledges the geostrategic and geopolitical importance of the Indo-Pacific region and Southeast Asia in particular. The strategy also recognizes that countries in the region refuse to choose, and therefore the EU offers avenues for cooperation that are not based on taking sides. I believe that Vietnam greatly welcomes the EU's strategy for the Indo-Pacific region, as it offers an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations between Vietnam and the European Union, and thus also provides Vietnam with the chance to preserve its strategic autonomy in a challenging geopolitical environment.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, Head of the Development Studies Department, Faculty of International Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, stated that unlike the Indo-Pacific strategies of other countries, such as the US and Japan, Europe's interests in the region are much more normative. The EU's emphasis on normative aspects of a peaceful and rules-based order can preserve stability and multilateralism, which is beneficial to Vietnam, and the EU's approach aligns with Vietnam's expectations. Therefore, Vietnam highly values ​​the strong and constructive role of the EU and its members in the region, based on their support for ASEAN's important role and the promotion of the rule of law and cooperation in the region. Furthermore, the EU's positive stance on non-confrontational cooperation is welcomed by all partner countries. Konrad_Adenauer-StiftungKAS is a German political foundation. Operating in Vietnam since 1993, KAS, together with its partners, is committed to enhancing democratic institutions, building a rule of law state, a market economy, a sustainable society, and regional and international integration. Through collaborative activities such as conferences, seminars, training, research, and publications, KAS aims to contribute to Vietnam's sustainable economic, political, and social development, promote international cooperation, and foster mutual understanding.
Over the years, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has implemented collaborative activities in training and research with KAS.

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