National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn addressed the 46th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-46). — VNA/VNS Photos

KUALA LUMPUR — National Assembly (NA) Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn on Thursday affirmed that the Vietnamese NA will continue to stand side by side with ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) to turn ASEAN’s vision and aspirations into reality.

He made the statement while addressing the first plenary session of the 46th General Assembly of the AIPA-46 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“We are ready to share experiences, strengthen dialogue and cooperate at all levels to build an inclusive, sustainable, resilient and truly people-centred bloc,” he said.

Under the theme 'Parliaments at the forefront for an inclusive growth and sustainable ASEAN', ASEAN’s legislative bodies are playing a pioneering role in building a future of equal development opportunities and shared prosperity for all ASEAN people, he said.

Over nearly 60 years of formation and development, ASEAN has made strong progress, overcoming many challenges to build a dynamic economic community, a closely connected society and an increasingly prominent international profile, he said.

As the centre of the regional cooperation architecture, ASEAN has brought together a wide range of partners in a multi-layered network of linkages, contributing to promoting dialogue and cooperation for peace, stability, and shared prosperity, he said.

In the context of rapidly changing and complex regional and global developments, to continue to promote the role and special strengths of parliamentary diplomacy, Chairman Mẫn proposes that AIPA focus on three priority areas.

He proposed AIPA enhance its role as a bridge, encouraging and facilitating social sectors and stakeholders to actively contribute to the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

“AIPA should continue to take the lead in building institutions and policies to put regional commitments and agreements into practice, especially in science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation,” he said.

As representatives of the people, AIPA has a special role and responsibility in fostering exchanges, solidarity and friendship among the peoples of the member countries, he said, proposing that AIPA continue to give high priority to activities that nurture and spread community awareness and identity, enhance communication and promote cooperation in culture, education, tourism, as well as exchanges between parliamentarians and between parliamentarians and the peoples of ASEAN countries.

He said ASEAN needs to continue to expand and deepen external relations, consolidating ASEAN’s role as the hub in regional and global networks of linkages and cooperation.

“We warmly welcome observer parliaments attending today’s General Assembly and many parliaments on the path to becoming AIPA partners," Mẫn said.

"Amid current turbulence, we wish to develop mutually beneficial relations with all countries and partners," the leader stressed.

“This will help expand development space, diversify markets and respond more effectively to common challenges and issues at both regional and global levels.”

As part of his official visit to Malaysia, NA Chairman Mẫn held a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday afternoon.

The two leaders expressed their delight at the positive and substantive progress in the friendship and bilateral cooperation highlighted by the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

They were informed that bilateral trade in the first seven months of 2025 reached USS$9.23 billion, up 8 percent year-on-year.

National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn held a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur.

The two leaders agreed to continue consolidating political trust through exchanges of delegations at all levels while promoting trade and investment cooperation towards the goal of $18 billion in balanced two-way trade.

They also vowed to boost cooperation in energy, oil and gas, science and technology, digital transformation, innovation, artificial intelligence, fisheries, the Halal industry, as well as active participation in the ASEAN Power Grid.

Chairman Mẫn emphasised the need for both countries to soon adopt an action programme to implement the Việt Nam–Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 2025–30 period and promote trilateral cooperation in exporting renewable energy from Việt Nam to Malaysia and Singapore.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim thanked Việt Nam for its support and active contributions to Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 and AIPA-46 Chairmanship.

He also appreciated the close cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries and expressed confidence that inter-parliamentary cooperation would continue to grow stronger. — VNS