Bangkok (VNA) - Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese NationalAssembly (NA) Uong Chu Luu on June 22 attended the ASEAN Leaders' Interfacewith Representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) on theoccasion of the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.

At the meeting, Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives of Thailand and AIPA President Chuan Leekpai presented theAIPA’s message, affirming that the people-centred and people-oriented ASEANCommunity needs to rely on the joint efforts to push for social equality andlaw-governed states. During such process, parliamentarians of the AIPA membercountries play a vital role in connecting the people and the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

The message highlighted a series of urgentissues and concerns of the AIPA parliaments, including climate change andenvironment; development gaps; terrorism and extremist violence; genderequality and women empowerment; human and drug trafficking; the fourth industrialrevolution; and the Code of Conduct in the East Sea, marine security, watersecurity, food security and energy security, among others.

The message recommended the AIPA and ASEANrestructure their partnership to better deal with challenges and bring benefitsto the regional people.

At the meeting, ASEAN leaders praised theAIPA’s contributions to cooperation with the ASEAN in overcoming difficultiesand challenges, maintaining inner solidarity and unity, and boostingcollaboration with international partners.

They agreed with the message deliveredby the AIPA President and highlighted the AIPA’s important role in the processof building the ASEAN Community and implementing its 2025 Vision on all threepillars for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

The same day, on the sidelines of theevent, NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu paid courtesy calls on Speaker of theHouse of Representatives Chuan Leekpai and Speaker of the Senate of Thailand PornpetchWichitcholchai, during which he congratulated the country on its recentsuccessful election and thanked its support for Vietnam’s bid to become anon-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.  

He expressed his delight at the growthof relations between Vietnam and Thailand and their parliaments as Thailand nowranks 9th among foreign investors in Vietnam and two-way tradereached 17.5 billion USD last year.

Luu noted that the two nations haveexchanged delegations at all levels, and cooperated across fields, includingpolitics, economy, trade, investment, and defence-security, while workingclosely at multilateral forums in the region and in the world.

Congratulating the National Assembly of Thailandon its assumption of the AIPA chairmanship and hosting of the 40th AIPA General Assembly, Luu said Vietnam wants to learn from Thailand’sexperience to organise the 41th AIPA General Assembly in 2020.  

The Thai leaders said Vietnam has madepositive contributions to the AIPA President’s message. They took this occasionto convey their invitation to Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National AssemblyNguyen Thi Kim Ngan to attend the 40th AIPA General Assembly inThailand this August.

On the occasion, Luu also received SecondVice President of the Cambodian National Assembly Khuon Sudary, congratulatingCambodia on its successful organization of elections at all levels as well asits important achievements in all aspects under the leadership of the CambodianPeople’s Party.

He said that Vietnam welcomescooperation between agencies of the Vietnamese and Cambodia NAs andparliamentarians’ groups, recommending the two parliaments to  prioritise measures to boosting the tiesbetween them and the two nations for peace, stability and cooperation withinthe ASEAN.

Khuon Sudary held that the two sidesneed to further organise communications campaigns to help the youth understandmore about the two Parties’ and States’ traditional relations

He said the Cambodian National Assemblyis willing collaborate with its Vietnamese counterpart in carrying out theirsigned cooperation agreements and increasing the exchange of high-rankingdelegations.

On June 23, NA Vice Chairman Uong ChuLuu is scheduled to attend the 34th ASEAN Summit and visit the Vietnam Embassyin Thailand.-VNA