On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) welcomed a delegation from the Law Society of Singapore, which was part of its programme of visits and engagements with foreign legal organisations, with Vietnam being one of two destinations selected for this year.
On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) welcomed a delegation from the Law Society of Singapore, led by Prof. Tan Cheng Han SC - President of the Law Society of Singapore. The meeting was held as part of the Law Society of Singapore’s programme of visits and engagements with foreign legal organisations, with Vietnam being one of two destinations selected for this year.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Duy Nghia – Vice President of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC)
At the opening of the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Duy Nghia – Vice President of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), shared that, with more than 30 years of establishment and operation, VIAC has become a reputable, long-standing and pioneering arbitration institution in Vietnam. Of the nearly 4,000 disputes received and administered by VIAC, disputes involving foreign elements account for 48.5%. This figure demonstrates a significant increase in the participation of foreign disputing parties, while also reflecting the growing trend of investment, trade and cross-border transactions in Vietnam. This increase also places greater demands on dispute resolution mechanisms to ensure transparency, efficiency and conformity with international practice, thereby strengthening the confidence of foreign investors and businesses when choosing Vietnam as a destination for investment and business activities.
The delegation of the Law Society of Singapore
On the part of the Law Society of Singapore, the organisation was established in 1967 and is responsible for representing, protecting and supporting the legal profession, as well as providing professional training and development for Singapore lawyers. In addition to professional development activities, the Law Society also places emphasis on expanding relations with international legal organisations and organising visits and exchanges with countries in the region. Accordingly, Vietnam was selected as one of this year’s destinations to provide the Singaporean delegation with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s legal environment, dispute resolution practices and potential areas of cooperation between the legal communities of the two countries.
Overview of the meeting
During the meeting, VIAC representatives shared information on several common types of disputes involving foreign-invested enterprises and foreign investors, including construction and real estate disputes, among others. These are also areas that have undergone significant changes in policies and legislation, particularly with the introduction and supplementation of new provisions under the Land Law and the Law on Real Estate Business. Notably, legislation in these areas increasingly recognises and clarifies the role of domestic arbitration mechanisms in resolving disputes, thereby providing an additional basis for parties, including foreign-invested enterprises and foreign investors, to choose arbitration in Vietnam from the outset of their contractual relationship. The inclusion of provisions concerning the choice of domestic arbitration in specialised legislation not only contributes to expanding access to dispute resolution mechanisms in Vietnam, but also enables parties to proactively agree on a dispute resolution method appropriate to the nature of their projects, while saving time and costs and mitigating risks arising in the course of cross-border dispute resolution.
Representatives exchange views during the meeting.
The discussion then continued with an exchange between representatives of the Law Society of Singapore and VIAC on the enforcement of arbitral awards in Vietnam. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Duy Nghia noted that the enforcement of arbitral awards in Vietnam is becoming increasingly favourable, thanks to the continued development and strengthening of Vietnam’s arbitration ecosystem, as well as increasingly active support from the courts. The fact that Vietnam is a member of the 1958 New York Convention also provides an important legal basis for the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in Vietnam, while contributing to strengthening the confidence of foreign investors and businesses in choosing arbitration as a means of dispute resolution. These factors contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of arbitration in Vietnam, not only at the dispute resolution stage but also in terms of ensuring that the ultimate outcome of the arbitral proceedings can be effectively implemented in practice.
Alongside the discussion on the enforcement of arbitral awards, Singaporean lawyers also raised a number of questions to gain a clearer understanding of the mechanism for granting interim measures and the availability of emergency arbitration in Vietnam. In addition, the delegates exchanged views on several notable new provisions of the 2026 VIAC’s Rules of Arbitration, particularly those concerning the responsibilities of arbitrators, VIAC and third parties during arbitral proceedings.
The delegates subsequently continued to share their views and practical experiences, helping to highlight the similarities and differences between the arbitration laws, dispute resolution practices and arbitral proceedings in Vietnam and Singapore. The meeting provided an open and in-depth forum for exchange between the legal communities of the two countries, contributing to greater mutual understanding and opening up opportunities for cooperation in the fields of commercial arbitration, law and dispute resolution. Both sides expressed their expectation that these exchanges would continue to be strengthened through professional engagement programmes, experience-sharing activities and cooperative initiatives in the future.
.png "Trường đại học ngoại thương"){kind=logo}
