At the meeting, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand and AIPA President Chuan Leekpai presented the AIPA’s message, affirming that the people-centered and people-oriented ASEAN Community needs to rely on the joint efforts to push for social equality and law-governed states. During such process, parliamentarians of the AIPA member countries play a vital role in connecting the people and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The message highlighted a series of urgent issues and concerns of the AIPA parliaments, including climate change and environment; development gaps; terrorism and extremist violence; gender equality and women empowerment; human and drug trafficking; the fourth industrial revolution; and the Code of Conduct in the East Sea, marine security, water security, food security and energy security, among others.
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Heads of parliamentary delegations of the ASEAN countries pose for a group photo |
The message recommended the AIPA and ASEAN restructure their partnership to better deal with challenges and bring benefits to the regional people.
At the meeting, ASEAN leaders praised the AIPA’s contributions to cooperation with the ASEAN in overcoming difficulties and challenges, maintaining inner solidarity and unity, and boosting collaboration with international partners.
They agreed with the message delivered by the AIPA President and highlighted the AIPA’s important role in the process of building the ASEAN Community and implementing its 2025 Vision on all three pillars for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
The same day, on the sidelines of the event, NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu paid courtesy calls on Speaker of the House of Representatives Chuan Leekpai and Speaker of the Senate of Thailand Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, during which he congratulated the country on its recent successful election and thanked its support for Vietnam’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.
He expressed his delight at the growth of relations between Vietnam and Thailand and their parliaments as Thailand now ranks 9th among foreign investors in Vietnam and two-way trade reached 17.5 billion USD last year.
Luu noted that the two nations have exchanged delegations at all levels, and cooperated across fields, including politics, economy, trade, investment, and defense-security, while working closely at multilateral forums in the region and in the world.
Congratulating the National Assembly of Thailand on its assumption of the AIPA chairmanship and hosting of the 40th AIPA General Assembly, Luu said Vietnam wants to learn from Thailand’s experience to organize the 41th AIPA General Assembly in 2020.
The Thai leaders said Vietnam has made positive contributions to the AIPA President’s message. They took this occasion to convey their invitation to Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to attend the 40th AIPA General Assembly in Thailand this August.
On the occasion, Luu also received Second Vice President of the Cambodian National Assembly Khuon Sudary, congratulating Cambodia on its successful organization of elections at all levels as well as its important achievements in all aspects under the leadership of the Cambodian People’s Party.
He said that Vietnam welcomes cooperation between agencies of the Vietnamese and Cambodia NAs and parliamentarians’ groups, recommending the two parliaments to prioritize measures to boosting the ties between them and the two nations for peace, stability and cooperation within the ASEAN.
Khuon Sudary held that the two sides need to further organize communications campaigns to help the youth understand more about the two Parties’ and States’ traditional relations
He said the Cambodian National Assembly is willing collaborate with its Vietnamese counterpart in carrying out their signed cooperation agreements and increasing the exchange of high-ranking delegations.
On June 23, NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu is scheduled to attend the 34th ASEAN Summit and visit the Vietnam Embassy in Thailand.
Source: VNA