National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn. — VNA/VNS Photo

KUALA LUMPUR — National Assembly (NA) Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn’s attendance in the 46th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter‑Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) demonstrates Việt Nam's proactive, responsible participation in AIPA alongside other member parliaments, and the country’s commitment to broadening its parliamentary relations with nations beyond the region, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Đinh Ngọc Linh.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in Kuala Lumpur ahead of NA Chairman Mẫn's trip for an official visit to Malaysia and the AIPA-46, Ambassador Linh hailed the event’s theme of “Parliament at the Forefront for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable ASEAN” chosen by Malaysia, the Chair of AIPA‑46.

The setting is meant to emphasise the role of AIPA in enhancing regional linkage and connectivity, elevating people’s voices, and encouraging people‑to‑people exchange. Key areas will include the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, cooperation in sub‑regional bodies, balancing food, energy, water security with environmental protection, and tackling non‑traditional security challenges, according to Linh.

The Vietnamese NA leader’s participation reflects Việt Nam's responsible and constructive contribution to AIPA, he said.

He noted that Việt Nam has in recent years taken an active role in AIPA’s initiatives to deepen inter‑parliamentary cooperation and enhance ties among ASEAN legislatures. He expressed confidence that Việt Nam will again shape the outcomes of AIPA‑46 through active contributions.

Amid the changing world situation, the ambassador said that both ASEAN and AIPA must maintain centrality, unity, collective action, and resilience, while identifying new growth drivers for the region’s common benefit. He noted that, following ASEAN’s adoption of its Community Vision 2045, AIPA has strongly committed to supporting governments and populations in achieving its objectives.

Việt Nam will continue to be an active, proactive and responsible member of AIPA, stand ready to walk side by side to help shape a strong, prosperous ASEAN, the diplomat stated.

He said he is confident that Việt Nam's NA will make positive contributions in parliamentary cooperation, supporting policy and legal frameworks that advance sustainable socio‑economic development in the region. At AIPA‑46, Việt Nam will bring forward initiatives to promote inclusivity and sustainability across ASEAN, and engage intensively in drafting resolutions and the joint communiqué of the Assembly, he said.

Regarding the Việt Nam–Malaysia relations, the ambassador regarded NA Chairman Mẫn's visit as especially significant. It is his first official visit to Malaysia in the role of NA Chairman. The trip comes amid strengthened and comprehensive strategic partnership across many fields of politics, diplomacy, security‑defence, economy, tourism, culture, and people‑to‑people ties.

The visit intends to reaffirm Việt Nam's foreign policy priority of friendly neighbouring relations and strategic partnership with Malaysia, and assess recent cooperation and explore practical measures to enhance collaboration, particularly between the two parliaments.

Ambassador Linh indicated that during the visit, NA Chairman Mẫn will hold talks and meetings with key Malaysian figures, including the President of Malaysian Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, in light of Malaysia’s role as AIPA Chair in 2025. He viewed the timing as ideal for building strategic trust, widening parliamentary cooperation, and reaffirming Việt Nam's commitment to comprehensive and deep international integration and the country’s role in multilateral forums.

On the economic front, Ambassador Linh observed that the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in November 2024 laid a firm foundation for deeper bilateral cooperation. Key pillars include political and security cooperation, sustainable economic links, and new arenas such as digital transformation, clean energy, and emerging technologies. Shared positions in international multilateral issues also reinforce the partnership.

He reported that Malaysia is now Việt Nam's second largest trade partner within ASEAN and ranks among its top three foreign investors. Bilateral trade rose to US$14.2 billion in 2024, up by around 20 per cent from 2023, and had reached $10.66 billion in the first eight months of 2025, about 10.3 per cent higher than the same period in 2024.

Given these trends, he assessed that reaching the trade target of $18 billion is feasible. He noted untapped potential in sectors such as Halal industry, green economy, innovation, science and technology, digital transformation, and clean energy. — VNA/VNS