In 2018, the year marking the halfway point in the National Assembly (NA)’s 14th tenure, the body completed a great deal of work and received compliments from voters nationwide, NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân said.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân. 

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday, the top legislator said the NA debated and passed 16 bills, including the revised Law on Corruption Prevention and Control and the Law on Cyber Security.

During the sixth session, with a high percentage of votes, the NA elected General Secretary of Communist Party of Việt Nam Nguyễn Phú Trọng as the new State President. This was an important political event for the country, and the NA leader noted it was highly valued by voters and the public in general.

Meanwhile, the NA ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and related documents, making Việt Nam the seventh country to do so. The deal shows the political determination of the Party and State to actively integrate into the region and the world, she said.

The sixth session, which took place during October and November last year, was the mid-term meeting of the NA. At the session, the deputies cast votes of confidence on 48 officials holding positions elected or approved by the NA.

NA Chairwoman Ngân underlined that this was an extremely important supervision action, demonstrating confidence in the officials subjected to the vote and providing a fair assessment of their efforts and performances.

Last year was also a successful one for external parliamentary activities. The NA showed its active engagement in inter-parliamentary forums in the region and the world, contributing to the achievements in the country’s foreign relations.

In 2018, Việt Nam assumed the position as Vice Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). This is the second time Việt Nam had taken the position since it became a member in 1979.

To further increase the effectiveness of diplomatic activities and international integration in 2018, the NA attended the 138th and 139th IPU Assemblies in Geneva, Switzerland; the 39th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Assembly in Singapore; the third Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments (MSEAP 3) in Turkey; and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting, Ngân said.

At the meetings, the Vietnamese legislative body made contributions to the working agendas, with their successes praised by participating countries. Việt Nam proposed participating countries continue working to implement the UN’s Sustainable Development Programme by 2030 and join hands to tackle the impacts of climate change. It emphasised that parliaments hold a responsibility in pushing governments to intensify regional connectivity and multilateral trade to contribute to the growth of each nation and region.

Last year, the NA successfully organised the 26th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) under the theme “Parliamentary partnership for peace, innovation and sustainable development.” The highlight of the meeting was the Hà Nội Declaration, which set forth a new vision for parliamentary partnership and earned high praise from member parliaments.

Last December, it also co-ordinated with the IPU and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to hold a meeting themed “The National Assembly and sustainable development goals” in the central city of Da Nang. The meeting introduced a self-assessment toolkit developed and issued by the IPU and UNDP in the Vietnamese language. Việt Nam was selected as one of the countries in the Asia-Pacific region to introduce the toolkit. It was provided to deputies of the Vietnamese NA and People’s Councils at all levels, she said.

The top legislator stressed the need for Việt Nam to fully implement the international commitments it has signed. The NA will work to complete the law and policy system to act as a foundation for implementation, she said.

Regarding the freshly ratified CPTPP, which is expected to bring about both opportunities and challenges for businesses, Ngân said the legislature will complete necessary conditions and institutionalise CPTPP regulations.

It will help speed up the signing and ratification of the EU- Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement, she added.

The NA’s actions last year helped increase confidence in the public’s votes, creating motivation for the NA to complete all targets and missions set for 2019 and the remaining years of the 14th tenure, the NA leader said. — VNS