National Assembly deputy Trịnh Xuân An attends the third consultative meeting of the Young Parliamentarians of AIPA on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam stands ready to work closely with ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) member states to strengthen solidarity, share experience, and expand joint initiatives toward a more inclusive and future-ready ASEAN.

The statement was made by Trịnh Xuân An, a full-time National Assembly (NA) deputy from the Committee for National Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs and vice chairman of the 15th-term Young National Assembly Deputies Group, at the third consultative meeting of the Young Parliamentarians of AIPA (YPA), held online by the House of Representatives of the Philippines and the AIPA Secretariat on Tuesday. 

Under the theme “ASEAN Youth: Strengthening Solidarity and Empowering Future-Ready Leaders,” the meeting served as a platform for young legislators to exchange views, share experience, and propose practical recommendations to build a stronger and more future-ready ASEAN Community.

Participants emphasised the need for ASEAN to fully harness its young human resources while establishing effective mechanisms to ensure that the voices of youth and young parliamentarians are heard and reflected in regional policymaking.

The meeting also reviewed the youth-focused initiatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), including the ASEAN Young Parliamentarians Forum, AIPA Roadshow, Model AIPA, internship programmes at the AIPA Secretariat, and AIPA ConNEXT.

These initiatives have engaged more than 17,000 young people across ASEAN, demonstrating a strong regional commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders.

Delegates shared national experiences in youth development. Despite differing priorities, they reached consensus on key directions: investing in education and future skills, expanding employment opportunities, improving physical and mental health, and promoting meaningful youth participation in policymaking.

Highlighting the relevance of placing youth at the centre of ASEAN’s development agenda amid rapid changes in technology, climate, non-traditional security, and governance, An stressed that Việt Nam consistently views youth as a pioneering force and a core pillar of national development.

According to him, Việt Nam’s NA currently has 99 young deputies under the age of 45 (including 33 under 40), accounting for 19.8 per cent of its 500 members. These representatives come from diverse social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, with the youngest being a 24-year-old female deputy.

Young deputies are well-trained and dynamic, and bring the aspirations and concerns of the younger generation into the legislative process and the making of decisions on the country’s important issues.

Building on the achievements of the 15th term, the 16th NA plans to soon consolidate its Young Deputies Group to further strengthen connections between parliament and youth, as well as align national policies with emerging development trends, An said.

While commending ASEAN’s youth initiatives, he recommended that parliaments integrate youth perspectives into lawmaking and policy impact assessments, create more opportunities for youth participation in oversight and public consultation, and expand dialogue between young legislators and youth in urban, rural, border, and remote areas.

He also called for enhanced cooperation on digital and AI competency frameworks, linked with education on digital skills, AI ethics, data protection, and cybersecurity, to ensure equitable, inclusive, and safe access to new technologies for young people. — VNA/VNS