National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ addresses the 43rd ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Assembly held in Cambodia. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vương Đình Huệ’s official visit to Cambodia, attendance at the 43rd ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Assembly, and official trip to the Philippines from November 19-25 have contributed to fostering Việt Nam’s cooperation with Cambodia and the Philippines, and ASEAN inter-parliamentary collaboration.

The statement was made by Bùi Văn Cường, NA General Secretary and Chairman of the NA Office, who affirmed that the top legislator’s seven-day trip was a success, with nearly 50 activities.

In Cambodia and the Philippines, Chairman Huệ held talks with the top leaders of the two countries’ legislative bodies; made courtesy calls on King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk of Cambodia; met Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Deputy PM and Chairwoman of the Cambodia Việt Nam Friendship Association Men Sam An; and met Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte. He also visited Kampong Thom Province of Cambodia and received leaders of some localities of Cambodia and the Philippines.

The NA leader also met executives of some Philippine enterprises doing business in Việt Nam and attended a bilateral investment and trade forum. Besides, he visited the Vietnamese embassies in Cambodia and the Philippines and talked to representatives of the Vietnamese community in Cambodia.

The visit to Cambodia was the first by Huệ as the NA Chairman and also among the activities in the Việt Nam - Cambodia Friendship Year 2022 and in celebration of the 55th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.

Parliamentary leaders of Việt Nam and Cambodia discussed many cooperation aspects, signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two parliaments, and witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the secretariats of their NAs.

In Cambodia, Chairman Huệ took part in AIPA-43 and delivered an important speech. On the sidelines of this event, he had bilateral meetings with parliamentary leaders of a number of AIPA members and observers.

Within the framework of AIPA-43, Huệ and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Heng Samrin and Lao counterpart Saysomphone Phomvihane signed a joint statement on the establishment of a mechanism of the Cambodia – Laos – Việt Nam parliament high-level conference, according to Vũ Hải Hà, head of the foreign relations committee of the NA.

The Vietnamese delegation’s participation at AIPA-43 aimed to continue implementing the policy of proactively, actively, comprehensively, and intensively integrating into the world and elevating multilateral diplomacy; and working with other AIPA member parliaments to strengthen ASEAN’s solidarity and centrality while enhancing AIPA’s relations with partners, thereby contributing to the ASEAN Community building and promoting regional peace, cooperation, and development.

Meanwhile, the official visit to the Philippines from November 23 to 25 was the first to the archipelago nation by a key leader of Việt Nam in 2022 and by an NA leader of Việt Nam after 16 years. It was also one of the first trips by a foreign parliamentary leader to the Philippines after this country successfully held general elections in May 2022 and elected new leaders of its House of Representatives and Senate in July.

Aside from working to intensify cooperation between the two legislatures, Huệ and senior leaders of the Philippines also discussed measures for augmenting multifaceted ties to help bolster the Việt Nam – Philippines strategic partnership.

Notably, both the House of Representatives and Senate of the Philippines issued resolutions affirming the enhancement of relations between the countries’ legislative bodies, with the host nation setting up the Philippine – Việt Nam Parliamentarians Friendship Society. — VNS