General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Nguyen Phu Trong presented a report asking for ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) during a sitting of the legislature in Hanoi on November 2.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Nguyen Phu Trong at the session 

The report said the early entry and ratification of the CPTPP reflects Vietnam’s strong commitment to reform and widespread global integration, affirming Vietnam’s important role and geo-political position in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific and raising the country’s stature in ASEAN, the region and the world. 

Also during the sitting, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh delivered a report explaining in details the CPTPP and relevant documents, saying that CPTPP member countries affirm respect to political regime, national security, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-intervention in internal affairs of each other. 

It also pointed out challenges in terms of legal framework, mechanisms, State budget collection, labour, information safety and security when joining the deal. 

Chairman of the NA Committee for External Affairs Nguyen Van Giau delivered a report examining the ratification of the CPTPP and relevant documents. 

Discussing in groups about the adoption of the CPTPP and related documents, almost lawmakers shared a view that it is a high-quality new-generation free trade agreement with the highest commitments so far. 

They suggested that the government should take comprehensive measures to tap Vietnam’s opportunities and advantages and promptly cope with negative impacts when the deal takes effect. 

In the afternoon, under the chair of NA Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien, the lawmaking body discussed a draft law on amendments and supplements of several articles of the laws regarding planning. 

Several legislators offered feedback on land use plan in provincial-level master plans. 

Later, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung made clear several issues raised by deputies. 

Concluding the session, Hien asked the government to acquire lawmakers’ opinions about the amendments and supplements to several articles of the Law on Construction and Land Law. 

On November 3, the NA agencies will work on their own agenda. 

On November 5 morning, the legislature will hear a report reviewing the pilot issuance of e-visas for foreigners entering Vietnam.

It will later discuss the ratification of the CPTPP and related documents, the extension of the implementation of the Resolution No.30/2016/QH14 on pilot issuance of e-visas for foreigners entering Vietnam.

In the afternoon, the NA will discuss the draft Vietnam Coast Guard Law.

Deputies in favour of the need to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

Deputies in favour of the need to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) were the majority at the National Assembly (NA) meeting on November 2, agreeing that it is a high-quality, new generation pact.

Working in groups at the ongoing sixth plenum of the 14th National Assembly, they said the CPTPP is a strong motive for Vietnam to improve its capacity and diversify its market in response to complicated global economic performance and the rising tide of protectionism. Further, they added, joining the pact affirms the country’s commitment to global integration, as well as its role and position in Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific.

CPTPP will pave the way for the Southeast Asian country to accelerate negotiations and successfully sign other free trade deals, like the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Tran Hoang Ngan, a deputy from Ho Chi Minh City, said that the first opportunity Vietnam can seize from the CPTPP is in promoting international integration, as well as completing the market mechanism in a stronger and more advanced manner. 

Vietnam should create high-quality products with competitive prices to serve the demands of CPTPP member states who have high income per capita and huge demand in consumer markets, Ngan added.

Sharing the same viewpoint, Pham Khanh Phong Lan from Ho Chi Minh City believed that Vietnamese exports, particularly vegetables, fruit, and seafood, will enjoy preferential tax lines, thus gaining competitive edge over the same products of rivals. 

She said that local enterprises should make rational investments to prevent heavy loss.

However, some deputies feared that the CPTPP will challenge Vietnamese trade, investment, service, agriculture, budget collection, intellectual property, labour, and information safety. They said that economic development disparity will be one of the major effects.

Regarding some key labour and employment issues upon joining CPTPP, Ngo Duy Hieu from Hanoi said that the Government should work to complete mechanisms related to labour and trade unions. Completing the amendments for the Labour Code is an important requirement, he suggested. 

CPTPP submitted to National Assembly

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong on November 2 presented a proposal to the National Assembly asking for the parliament’s ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and other relevant documents. 

Vietnam and 10 other member states signed the CPTPP in Santiago, Chile, on March 8, 2018. The 11 member states of the deal are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. 

The President’s proposal stressed that the early joining and ratification of the CPTPP would demonstrate Vietnam’s strong commitments to reform and comprehensive and extensive and intensive international integration. 

Besides, through the pact, Vietnam can affirm its important role and geographical-political position in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific at large, while advancing its position within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in the region and the international area. 

Specifically, in the context of rapid, complex and unforeseeable changes in the global and regional political and security situation, the CPTPP membership will enable Vietnam to improve its internal strength to cope with challenges, and consolidate its position so as to realise the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of relations in tandem with enhancing national defence and security, the document reads. 

Once put into force, the agreement will contribute to deepening relations between Vietnam and other CPTPP member countries, especially those having strategic partnership with Vietnam. 

The proposal also pointed out the benefits along with challenges to be brought by the free trade deal to socio-economic development, State budget and the finalisation of legal and institutional frameworks. 

It said the opening-up of economic activities, along with regulations in labour, transparency and anti-corruption, requires Vietnam to take the initiative and make greater efforts in completing legal regulations and establishing management mechanisms that both match international treaties and ensure political-social stability. 

The Government proposes ratifying the CPTPP and related documents at the sixth session of the 14th NA without any reservation.   

To ensure the implementation of the agreement, the Government has instructed concerned ministries and agencies to review and complete the list of laws, ordinances and decrees that need amendment, supplement and issuance to make them suit commitments made in the CPTPP. 

The list names 8 laws and 4 Government’s decrees that need to be amended and supplemented, and proposes issuing seven new documents (six decrees and one Prime Minister’s decision). The list also recommends participation in three international treaties. 

During the enforcement of the CPTPP, the Government will continue to review legal documents to make timely amendment and supplement. 

At the working session, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh presented a report explaining in details the CPTPP and relevant documents. 

Legislators also heard an assessment report on the CPTPP ratification delivered by head of the NA’s Committee for External Relations Nguyen Van Giau. 

They then discussed in groups this issue.

VNA