Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyễn Đức Hải delivered remarks at the first plenary session on political and security matters of the 31st Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-31) in Manila on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo

MANILA — Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Nguyễn Đức Hải presented four recommendations to enhance parliaments’ role in promoting peace and stability in the region, while addressing a plenary session of the 31st Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-31) in Manila on Friday.

Firstly, countries needed to maintain strong political commitments to boost multilateral and inter-parliamentary cooperation, increase dialogues, exchange information and experience in parliamentary operations, improve understanding, and build trust on the basis of mutual respect, he said.

They should seriously observe international commitments and law and the United Nations Charter, not use force, power politics and unilateralism, and not cause division, the legislator continued.

Secondly, Hải said, it was necessary to foster legislative ties in the region by strengthening cooperation and linkage mechanisms and networks such as the APPF.

He highlighted fostering collaboration and exchange between legislatures to exchange information and experience, and create a network of cooperation and linkages between parliaments to reinforce common power and promote their influence.

Parliaments could work together in building common rules and standards, seek solutions to promote peace and stability, and settle global issues, he suggested.

Hải mentioned raising expertise of parliaments and parliamentarians as the third recommendation, which, he said, would benefit regional peace and stability.

Parliaments should keep a close watch on global issues, especially those on security, economy, environment and human rights, while encouraging the full and comprehensive participation of people, including vulnerable groups, in making policies and ensuring social welfare, Hải went on.

Finally, he suggested the APPF member parliaments prioritise resources to sustainable, inclusive development goals, creating a foundation for peace and stability in the region and the world, elaborating that with the current approach, the Asia-Pacific could only fulfil these goals by 2065, or 35 years later than the original plan.

Hải used the occasion to say that Việt Nam always prioritised maintaining a peaceful and stable environment to spur national development, improving people’s living standards, and contributing responsibly to solving common challenges of the region and the world.

"Việt Nam supports initiatives conducive to regional and global peace and stability; the promotion of the settlement of conflicts and disputes by peaceful means, without the use of force or threat to use force; and the observance of international law and the UN Charter," he said.

He also stressed that the Vietnamese NA was committed to further accompanying the APPF and its member parliaments in promoting the law-making and supervisory role of parliaments.

Việt Nam would coordinate with other members to maintain peace, stability, as well as economic connectivity and recovery globally, and uphold the region's pioneering role in economic development, Hải pledged. — VNS