Vietnam attends Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum’s 29th annual meeting

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue led a delegation of the Vietnamese legislature to attend the 29th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-29) virtually hosted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on December 14, which spotlighted the role of parliaments in strengthening post-COVID-19 resilience.During the event, the top Vietnamese legislator delivered two important speeches at the first and second plenary sessions on political and security issues, and digital economic development in the region.

In his opening remarks, RoK President Moon Jea-in emphasized that parliaments play an important role in promoting policies to bring countries back to normal.Meanwhile, Speaker of the RoK National Assembly Park Byeong-seug underlined the role of parliaments in strengthening cooperation to ensure peace, security and economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the first plenary session on political and security issues after the opening ceremony, NA Chairman Hue affirmed that the Vietnamese legislature continues to be an active member of APPF and many other multilateral parliamentary forums, and to work closely with parliaments of countries to promote cooperation towards building an Asia-Pacific region of peace, stability, resilience and prosperity.

He proposed six cooperation contents, focusing on strengthening parliamentary action and monitoring the implementation of policies of APPF member governments in maintaining peace, stability and security in the region and the world, promoting multilateral cooperation to prevent risks of conflict, fostering dialogue and building trust, refraining from unilateral actions and complying with international law.He called on APPF member parliaments to enhance cooperation in order to ensure peace, stability, and rule of law in seas and oceans, iincluding building the East Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, and maintaining  security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the waters.

APPF member parliaments should actively call on the international community, parliaments of countries, and governments to increase the effectiveness of cooperation in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, narrowing the gap in equitable access to vaccine sources, and preventing and solving traditional and non-traditional security problems, the Vietnamese NA leader said.

He also suggested expanding inter-parliamentary collaboration in other non-traditional security issues, including climate change; promoting people-centered and people-oriented cooperation by ensuring human security elements; and increasing the participation of parliaments in making and monitoring the implementation of policies in a human-centered approach in order to ensure equity and social equality.