Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) Tong Thi Phong met with representatives of Vietnamese expats in New York, the US, on February 12.

NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong

Phong is in New York from February 11 – 15 at the invitation of President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Saber Chaudhury to attend the Annual Parliamentary Hearing between the IPU and the United Nations (UN).

Addressing the meeting, the NA Vice Chairwoman briefed the overseas Vietnamese on the political, socio-economic situation in Vietnam and the country’s development orientation in 2017 and later years.

In spite of impacts of the international and regional economic changes, Vietnam’s economic growth rate reached 6.2 percent in 2016, and is expected to hit 6.6 percent in 2017 and maintain between 6.5 percent – 7 percent per year, Phong said.

She reported that the 14th NA has 494 deputies, of whom ethnic minority people account for 17 percent, and women 26.6 percent, adding that the legislature has a chairwoman for the first time in 70 years.

The NA Vice Chairwoman noted that the NA has continuously reformed its structure and operation, thus proving its significant role in making laws and decision of critical issues of the nation, promoting a law-governed State.

VNA