A Vietnamese National Assembly delegation led by Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong is attending the second Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) Executive Council Meeting and the ninth APA Plenary (APA-9) that opened in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on November 28. 

NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong (2nd, R) at the opening ceremony of APA-9

Themed “Promoting peace and sustainable development in Asia,” APA-9 brings together 207 delegates from 23 parliamentary delegations in the region. 

In their opening remarks, the leaders of Cambodia – APA President, highlighted the significance of the event, saying it offers an opportunity for Asian parliamentarians to exchange views and experience, helping to seek solutions to regional issues like economic degradation, terrorism and climate change, towards promoting peace, stability, development, prosperity and sustainability in Asia. 

The leaders noted their hope that the meeting will contribute to consolidating and enhancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and encouraging Asian nations to fully and effectively implement resolutions and statements to be approved at the meeting. 

APA-9 will include plenary sessions, meetings of APA female parliamentarians and APA committees. The meeting is expected to consider the next candidate for the APA Presidency and pass a draft report on APA-9. 

NA Vice Chairwomen Phong is scheduled to deliver a speech at the closing session on December 1. 

APA was founded in 2006 at the Seventh Session of the Association of Asian Parliamentary for Peace (AAPP). In 2007, APA comprises of 42 member parliaments and 16 observers. It aims to promote peace and integration in Asia through parliamentary mechanisms. 

On the sidelines of APA-9, Phong met with her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou on November 28. 

She stressed that the Vietnamese legislature wishes to enhance cooperation with its Lao counterpart through the exchange of all-level delegations and the organisation of workshops. 

Vietnam will join hands with the Lao side to successfully organise events marking the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (September 5, 1962) and 40 years since the signing of the Vietnam - Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (July 18, 1997). 

She conveyed NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan's invitation to visit to Vietnam to Lao National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotou. 

For her part, Pany Yathotou said the Lao NA hopes to partner with the Vietnamese side to realise guidelines reached by the two countries’ leaders during the recent visit to Laos by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. 

She thanked Vietnam’s support to Laos across fields with the latest being 100 million USD to help Laos build its NA House, saying the project is scheduled to kick start in 2017. 

She accepted the invitation and said that she will pay an official visit to Vietnam as soon as possible.-VNA