The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) office in Hanoi should play an active role in providing legal advice to Vietnam on territorial, economic, and commercial issues.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and PCA Secretary-General Marcin Czepelak. Source VNA

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed the view during a meeting with PCA Secretary-General Marcin Czepelak on December 11 and called on the PCA to consider hiring Vietnamese staff.

At the meeting, Chinh expressed his delight at visiting the PCA’s headquarters in the Hague following Czepelak’s trip to Hanoi in late November.

Chinh said Vietnam highly appreciated the role of PCA in helping settle international disputes via tribunal procedures.

“The presence of PCA in Hanoi via its representative office is a significant step, sending a message of Vietnam’s support for peace and a world order based on international law and the UN charter, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” said Chinh.

For his part, PCA Secretary General Marcin Czepelak expressed his special affection for Vietnam and emphasized the stance shared by both sides of not choosing sides but justice and righteousness.

Czepelak appreciated Vietnam’s strong commitments and role in complying with the UN charter and international law.

He thanked the Vietnamese Government for supporting PCA in opening its representative office in Vietnam, saying this showcases the trust of Vietnam in the PCA.

In the coming time, Czepelak expected the PCA office in Hanoi would work closely with Vietnamese Government agencies, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in carrying out training works to enhance their legal awareness.

Czepelak noted it is currently recruiting Vietnamese experts for its office in Vietnam.

In this regard, Prime Minister Chinh said during the process of global integration, Vietnam stands ready to resolve international disputes with foreign partners via intermediary agencies and international courts in line with international laws and the interests of all parties involved.

The PCA, established in 1899 with 122 contracting parties, facilitates arbitration and other dispute resolution between states.

Vietnam became a contracting party to the 1907 Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes on February 27, 2012. As a contracting party to this founding Convention of the PCA, Vietnam is represented on the PCA’s panel of independent arbitrators, known as Members of the Court. These members may be called upon to serve as arbitrators in PCA-administered disputes.

PCA is currently headquartered in the Hague and has five representative offices in Mauritius, Buenos Aires (Argentina), Singapore, Vienna (Austria), and Hanoi.