Chairman of Việt Nam's National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ and a high ranking delegation left Hà Nội on Sunday morning for the European working trip. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vương Đình Huệ and a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese NA left Hà Nội on Sunday morning for the fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (WCSP5) held in Austria.

Huệ and the Vietnamese delegation will also pay working visits to the European Parliament and Belgium, and an official visit to Finland during their trip from September 5-11, the first foreign visit by the new top legislator and one that marks the resumption of in-person parliamentary diplomacy since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out early last year.

The visits are being made at the invitations of President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Duarte Pacheco, President of the Austrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the European Parliament David Sassoli and Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Anu Vehvilainen.

Joining the delegation are member of the NA Standing Committee, NA Secretary General and Chairman of the NA Office Bùi Văn Cường; Chairman of the NA's Committee for External Relations Vũ Hải Hà; and Chairman of the NA's Budget and Finance Committee Nguyễn Phú Cường.

The top legislator is also accompanied by heads and officials of ministries and sectors.

NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ shakes hands with foreign ambassadors at Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội prior to his departure. — VNA/VNS Photo

Since becoming an IPU member in April 1979, Việt Nam has always been an active and responsible member of the forum.

In 2015, the National Assembly of Việt Nam actively participated in developing a sustainable development programme initiated by the UN, with the successful organisation of the 132nd IPU General Assembly in Hà Nội in March.

Through the IPU, bilateral relations between the Vietnamese legislature and parliaments of other countries have been established and strengthened. As an active member of the organisation, the Vietnamese National Assembly has regularly sent high-level delegations led by its Chairperson or Standing Vice Chairperson to attend WCSP Conferences since 2000.

This time, the Vietnamese delegation will attend the WCSP 5 via videoconference in Vienna, Austria.

Chairman of the NA Commission for External Relations Vũ Hải Hà said it is the first visit by a Vietnamese leader to Europe after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, following the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and the election of deputies to the 15th legislature and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021-26 tenure.

Hà said Chairman Huệ will hold bilateral meetings with IPU leaders and speakers of parliaments, President of the Austrian National Council, representatives of international organisations and Austrian enterprises working in energy, construction materials, telecommunications and information technology.

Heads of the NA committees and ministers will also meet partners to discuss measures promoting bilateral ties and express support for the ratification of the European Union-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

Following the success of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41) hosted by the Vietnamese NA in 2020 and AIPA-42 hosted by Brunei in 2021 with active and effective participation of the Vietnamese legislature, the Vietnamese delegation is expected to make important contributions to the forum’s agenda, thereby affirming a message about Việt Nam as an active, proactive and responsible member of the international community, especially amid the fight against the pandemic at present, and people must be placed at the centre in every effort and policy of a country. — VNS