This book, by integrating legal, political, and strategic perspectives, aims to contribute both theoretically and practically to a clearer understanding of Vietnam and the US’s stances in this complex region. Ultimately, it seeks to provide insights into how bilateral cooperation, legal interpretation, and strategic alignment can strengthen the international maritime order and promote stability and peace in the South China Sea. Two dimensions of this influence are explored in this study: Vietnam’s and American participations in the United Nations Conferences on the Law of the Sea; and the handling of concrete legal questions related to baselines, innocent passage, freedom of navigation, marine scientific research, Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, security and defense cooperation, marine environmental protection, the outer limits of the continental shelf, and high seas issues in the context of the South China Sea.

Nguyen Hong Thao is a Member of the United Nations International Law Commission (2017–2022 and 2023–2027) and served as an Arbitrator under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in the PCA Case No. 2019-28, Dispute Concerning the Detention of Ukrainian Naval Vessels and Servicemen (Ukraine v. the Russian Federation). He is currently a Senior Lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, and Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Dr. Nguyen received his LL.B. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (France) in 1996.

His main academic specializations are public international law, the law of the sea, international organizations, and international humanitarian and environmental law. Dr. Nguyen has authored a number of works on international law, particularly in the field of maritime dispute resolution. His professional experience in maritime affairs and diplomacy includes serving as Ambassador of Vietnam to Malaysia (2011–2014) and to Kuwait (2014–2017). He is a member of the Asian Society of International Law and the Vietnam Society of International Law.

He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Vietnamese Yearbook on International Law and serves on the advisory boards of the Asian Yearbook of International Law, the Asian Journal of International Law, and the Asia-Africa Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) Journal. He is also a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of East Asia and International Law and the Vietnam Journal of Legal Studies.