National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan speaks at the first plenary session of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA)’s 40th General Assembly on August 26.

The statement was made by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan while addressing the first plenary session of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA)’s 40th General Assembly in Bangkok on August 26.

She proposed that the AIPA focus on a number of issues, including the realizing of international law, the forming and sharing of ASEAN principles and norms of conduct of the ASEAN, and the reinforcement of solidarity and unity among the member countries as well as the association’s central role in the regional architecture and the coping with problems impacting peace, security and stability in the region.

The AIPA should reform its organization and operation to further promote its efficiency, she said.

The NA leader called on the AIPA members to review their domestic legal document system to increase the legal harmony and mutual recognition, serving the implementation of master plans for the ASEAN Community building.

She underlined the need for closer cooperation in IT among the ASEAN and the region to optimize resources and support in technique, technology and finance to enhance national capacity in adapting with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and narrow digital gaps, as well as deal with cyber security matters.

Ngan also stressed the need for stronger communications on the ASEAN and the AIPA among the community.

She further held that the ASEAN member countries should continue reinforcing solidarity and unity, promoting the grouping’s central role and deepening its collaboration with partners, thus affirming the role of the association as a motivation for strengthening dialogue, cooperation and development processes in the region.

The leader noted that through the past over one year, amidst the rapid and complicated changes in the global situation, the ASEAN Community has faced increasing challenges, especially the strategic competition among world powers as well as traditional and non-traditional security issues and economic risks.

However, the association has made encouraging achievements in all the three key pillars, while all member countries have secured good economic growth, she said.

The NA leader expressed concern over complicated developments in the region over the past years, underlining that at the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, participants raised their voice against unilateral activities in the East Sea that violated sovereignty and legitimate rights of coastal states, eroded trust and negatively impacted peace, stability as well as maritime and aviation security and safety in the region.

She stressed the need to reaffirm common principles and perceptions related to the East Sea issue that have been widely recognized by the ASEAN members and the international community, including upholding and following international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), practicing self-restraint, not conducting militarization and actions that complicate the situation, fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and striving to soon finalise a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Highlighting AIPA members’ willingness to accompany with the ASEAN in ASEAN Community building, she said that the AIPA and its member parliaments will continue contributing to the promotion of the legal harmonization, the supervision over the implementation of agreements and master plans for the community building, and cooperation policies.

Ngan pledged that Vietnam will continue pursuing the consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of relations with countries, while actively and proactively integrating into the world.

The NA of Vietnam will continue its active and responsible engagement in AIPA activities, while working to strengthen the AIPA-ASEAN partnership, she vowed.

The Vietnamese top law-maker expressed her hope that in 2020, when Vietnam plays the role of the ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and the Vietnamese NA takes the AIPA Chairmanship, Vietnam will contribute to the improvement of the efficiency of the AIPA and make it the representative of the aspiration and interest of all ASEAN citizens.-VNA