ABSTRACT
A review of the status of the conventions under International Maritime Organization (IMO) indicates that Vietnam has ratified many treaties on navigation and shipping. At the regional level, Vietnam is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and has participated in the negotiation of all ASEAN instruments since 1995. The shift in Vietnam's regulations on navigational rights reflects its efforts to strike a balance between its rights as a coastal state and the rights of other user states in its maritime zones. The chapter focuses on the case of navigational rights in Vietnamese law and policies in relation to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Vietnam's policy change and legislative evolution in the area of maritime issues and navigational rights in particular are the result of its own reassessment of geopolitical realities and national interests.
