Parliament contributes to enhancing ASEAN connectivity and inclusive growth

The relationship between Vietnam and Laos has continued to develop well and comprehensively in all channels. The two sides regularly exchange delegations and have high-level and all-level contacts.

On that basis, political trust between the two countries has been strengthened. Political-foreign affairs, defense-security cooperation has been maintained closely and effectively. Economic, trade and investment cooperation has seen many positive new developments. Cultural, educational-training and human resource development cooperation has seen many changes in both quality and quantity.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith at the National Assembly House on September 11, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

Cooperation between the two parliaments continues to be promoted, implemented synchronously and effectively, making an important contribution to the overall relationship between the two countries. The two sides are actively implementing the contents of the Cooperation Agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Lao National Assembly.

The two sides organized many activities to exchange experiences between the two parliaments, focusing on issues of concern to both countries, such as legislative research, constitutional amendments, and the development and implementation of socio-economic development policies.

The two countries' National Assemblies are actively coordinating to research, compile and publish the book "50 years of relations between the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the National Assembly of the Lao People's Democratic Republic - Comprehensive cooperation and development" .

The two sides maintained high-level delegation exchanges, work experience exchanges, and committee-level exchanges, among friendship groups of parliamentarians, and among female parliamentarians. The two sides have established a cooperation mechanism between young parliamentarians and female parliamentarians; an annual cooperation mechanism between the parliament’s committees, between the parliament’s office and the secretariat; and a tripartite cooperation mechanism between Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam and the foreign affairs, defense and security, and finance-budget committees.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man received Comrade Sommad Pholsena, Vice Chairman of the Lao National Assembly and Chairman of the Lao Peace and Solidarity Committee, at the National Assembly House, August 22, 2024. (Photo: Quochoi.vn)

The two sides maintain close cooperation at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums such as AIPA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP).

In December 2023, the Vietnamese National Assembly coordinated and supported the Lao National Assembly to successfully organize the first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Summit, raising cooperation between the three legislative bodies to the highest level, contributing to perfecting the high-level cooperation mechanism of the three countries in the party, government and parliament channels.

The first official visit to Laos by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man demonstrates the trust and closeness between the two countries' senior leaders, as well as between Tran Thanh Man and Lao National Assembly Chairman Saysomphone Phomvihane. The visit also aims to concretize the high-level agreements and joint statements between the two sides in recent times.

This is also an opportunity for the two sides to exchange and coordinate their stances on a number of regional and international strategic issues of mutual concern, linked to the core interests of both countries.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai held talks with Vice Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Sommad Pholsena in Da Nang city on September 4, 2024. In the photo: Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai (right) presented a souvenir to Vice Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Sommad Pholsena. (Photo: VNA)

The delegation of the Vietnam Peace Committee led by former Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu, Chairman of the Vietnam Peace Committee, held talks with the delegation of the Lao Peace and Solidarity Committee led by Vice Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Sommad Pholsena, Chairman of the Lao Peace and Solidarity Committee, on August 22, 2024. (Photo: Quochoi.vn)

Workshop on exchanging working experiences between the Lao National Assembly Secretariat and the Office of the Vietnamese National Assembly, in Oudomxay province, Laos, March 6, 2024. (Photo: Quochoi.vn)

AIPA-45 takes place in the context of the international and regional situation continuing to develop in a complex and unpredictable manner. Peace, cooperation and development remain the major trends, however, there are potential risks and are difficult to predict. In this context, ASEAN maintains its solidarity and central role, strengthens relations with partners, and continues to give high priority to consolidating the process of building the Community.

As ASEAN Chair in 2024, Laos has promoted its leading role, implementing cooperation initiatives on the three pillars of politics-security, economy and culture-society, achieving many positive results. In line with this year's ASEAN theme of "ASEAN: Promoting Connectivity and Resilience", Laos proposed the theme of AIPA-45 as "The role of parliaments in enhancing ASEAN's connectivity and comprehensive growth" .

This theme emphasizes dialogue and consultation between ASEAN, AIPA, parliaments of AIPA's observer countries and partners to help strengthen partnership cooperation and consolidate ASEAN's position and central role.

This theme also reflects the consistent message of AIPA and Laos as Chair of ASEAN and Chair of AIPA to strengthen the connectivity between economies in the region and between ASEAN and external partners, narrow the development gap, and promote comprehensive and sustainable development.

Dialogue session of ASEAN leaders with AIPA representatives, in Vientiane, Laos, October 9, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

To achieve the two pillars of "connectivity" and "inclusive growth" , AIPA member parliaments will focus on discussing measures to build synergy, accompany the governments of the Association's member countries through enhancing cooperation and information sharing in the legislative field, promoting connectivity within the ASEAN framework and other cooperation frameworks for the goal of ASEAN's comprehensive growth.

Since becoming an official member of AIPA in 1995, the Vietnamese National Assembly has always actively and proactively participated, contributing responsibly with the parliaments of member countries to strengthen the central role, solidarity and unity in ASEAN, promote intra-bloc cooperation, and expand multi-faceted relations with parliaments in and outside the region.

The Vietnamese National Assembly also contributes to promoting AIPA's responsibility and role for peace, stability and development, while persistently and skillfully integrating and promoting Vietnam's concerns and priorities.

Many initiatives of the Vietnamese National Assembly to share and support ASEAN governments in solving regional priority issues have been highly appreciated by member parliaments.

The high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly led by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man attended AIPA-45 to continue to be proactive, active and make substantive contributions to AIPA.

The working trip also aims to continue implementing the policy of proactively and actively integrating comprehensively and extensively into the world, raising the level of multilateral diplomacy; promoting priorities, enhancing the role and position of the country and the Vietnamese National Assembly in regional and international parliamentary cooperation mechanisms, thereby contributing to promoting the common diplomatic efforts of the Party and State for the national and ethnic interests.

Preparatory meeting of the 13th ASEAN-AIPA Leaders' Meeting, in Vientiane, Laos, October 9, 2024. (Photo: Quochoi.vn)

The high-level meetings between the Head of Delegation and the corresponding levels of partners are also an opportunity for the Vietnamese National Assembly to strengthen relations with member parliaments and observers of AIPA. The Vietnamese National Assembly and the parliaments of other countries will exchange information and share common regional concerns for peace, cooperation and development, and parliamentary activities; and build friendly relations with parliamentarians of other countries.

Based on the general theme of the General Assembly, issues of national concern, and in line with regional trends, Vietnam plans to propose four initiatives/resolutions at the AIPA Young Parliamentarians' Conference, the Social Committee, the AIPA Women Parliamentarians' Conference, and the Economic Committee.

The Vietnamese delegation will also consider co-sponsoring resolutions on promoting ASEAN connectivity and harmonious development through political-security cooperation, mobilizing green capital for sustainable infrastructure development, etc.

The working trip of the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly led by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man aims to continue affirming the consistent policy of the Party and State to always give the highest priority and attach importance to developing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. The working trip also aims to continue implementing the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress on continuing to promote and improve the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration, and Directive No. 25-CT/TW of the Secretariat on promoting and raising the level of multilateral foreign affairs until 2030.