Vietnam keen to boost ties with legislatures of other countries

NA Chairman Man will lead a Vietnamese NA delegation to pay an official visit to Laos and attend the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-45) from October 17 to October 19 at the invitation of Chairman of the Lao NA Saysomphone Phomvihane.

Solidifying great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive ties

Vietnam and Laos are two close-kinit neighbours, with mountains connecting to mountains, leaning on the Truong Son mountain range, drinking the same water sources from the Mekong river, sharing cultural similarities, being rich in humanity, boasting friendly relations, and enjoying long-standing ties throughout the history of national construction and protection.

The joint co-operative relationship is therefore a rare and exemplary relationship in the world, developing comprehensively on all Party, State, and people-to-people diplomatic channels. The two sides regularly exchange working trips and high-level contacts.

This marks the first official visit by NA Chairman Man to Laos in his new position. The trip affirms the Vietnamese Party and State’s consistent policy of always giving the highest priority to and attaching importance to developing the great friendship, special solidarity, and all-around co-operation between the two nations.

It also affirms the nation’s strong and comprehensive support for the cause of innovation, protection, and construction of Laos, while also demonstrating the trust and closeness between the two countries' senior leaders, as well as between the Vietnamese NA Chairman and his Laotian counterpart personally.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam, give the rapid and complex developments regionally and globally that deeply impact both Vietnam and Laos, the solidarity and mutual support between the two Parties, States, and NA is an objective factor, a historical rule, and one of the greatest strengths vital to each country’s cause of national construction and defence. This therefore helps to preserve and develop the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive ties between the two sides.

Co-operation between the two legislative bodies continues to be promoted, whilst being implemented both synchronously and effectively, making important contributions to the overall relationship between the two countries.

The Vietnamese NA and the Lao NA signed a co-operation agreement in May, 2022, and are actively implementing the contents of the agreement.

The two sides have launched a broad array of experience exchange activities between the two legislatures, focusing on issues of mutual concern such as legislative research, constitutional amendments, as well as building and carrying out socio-economic development policies.

Both legislative bodies are actively co-ordinating to research, compile and publish a book featuring 50 years of relations between the two nations, as well as comprehensive co-operation and development.

Enhancing the role and position of Vietnamese NA in regional parliamentary cooperation mechanisms

Also in Laos, NA Chairman Man and his delegation will attend the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-45).

The attendance of NA Chairman Man and his at AIPA-45 is of great significance for continuing to implement the policy of proactively and actively integrating comprehensively and deeply into the world, thus raising the level of the nation’s multilateral diplomacy.

This will help to promote priorities and the role and position of the nation and its legislature in regional and international parliamentary co-operation mechanisms as a contribution to stepping up the common diplomatic efforts of the Vietnamese Party and State for national interests.

Simultaneously, it also serves to affirm the role of the Vietnamese NA in proactively and actively making substantial contributions to the content of AIPA; supporting Laos in its role as AIPA Chair; working with AIPA member parliaments to reinforce solidarity and the centrality of ASEAN, boosting ties between AIPA and partners, and contributing to the process of building the ASEAN Community; as well as promoting the responsibility and voice of AIPA for peace, stability, and development.

As planned, the top Vietnamese legislator will deliver a speech at the first plenary session.

Le Thu Ha, vice chairwoman of the NA Committee for External Relations, said that the nation is poised to propose four initiatives and resolutions at various AIPA meetings, including AIPA Young Parliamentarians’ Meeting, the AIPA Committee on Social Matters, the AIPA Conference of Women Parliamentarians, and the AIPA Committee on Economic Matters.

They include a resolution on enhancing the role of ASEAN young parliamentarians in implementing the Declaration of the ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians on accelerating the achievement of sustainable development goals through digital transformation and innovation; a resolution on enhancing rights, social welfare, and employment opportunities for older persons in ASEAN; a resolution on promoting the elimination of violence against women and girls in ASEAN; and another on enhancing institutional capacity to connect transportation, aviation, and seaports in the bloc.

The Vietnamese delegation will also consider co-sponsoring six resolutions, including five proposed by Laos and one jointly proposed by Indonesia, Laos, and Malaysia.

At this multilateral conference, the Vietnamese NA leader will have high-level meetings with parliamentary leaders in and outside the region, thereby contributing to strengthening the relationship that exists between the Vietnamese legislature and member parliaments and observers of AIPA.

The bilateral meetings will be an opportunity for the Vietnamese NA to exchange information and share with parliamentarians of other countries regarding common regional concerns for peace, co-operation, and development, as well as about parliamentary activities.

The goal is therefore to build friendly relations with parliamentarians of other countries, to inform and share details about the guidelines and policies of the Vietnamese Party and State, as well as the NA’s activities in the recovery and the nation’s socio-economic development.

The Laos visit and attendance of AIPA-45 by the top Vietnamese legislator and his delegation affirms the role of the Vietnamese NA in proactively and actively contributing to the content of AIPA, while also supporting Laos in its role as AIPA Chair.

This will further contribute to consolidating and fostering the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive linkages that exist between the two Parties, States, NAs, and peoples of the two nations.