NA Committees for Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Laos strengthen cooperation

The NA Committees for Foreign Affairs have closely partnered together both bilaterally and multilaterally under their jurisdiction, the officials said.

The Vietnam-Laos relations have become more practical, notably with a workshop presided over by the NA Chairmen which shared experience in policy mechanisms for socio-economic recovery and development in the post-pandemic period.

The two countries need to facilitate economic, trade and investment relations to match their potential and turn them into an important pillar in bilateral ties, they underlined.

The two sides agreed that the NA Committees for Foreign Affairs play a central role in the implementation of the recently-inked cooperation agreements between the two legislative bodies and between the NA Office of Vietnam and the NA Secretariat of Laos; and backed the signing of an agreement between the two committees to step up cooperation.

They pledged to increase the exchange of delegations, including deputies to provincial People’s Councils, especially of border localities, hold more workshops chaired by parliamentary leaders in the coming time, and consider collaboration in the supervision of common concerns such as the implementation of cooperation agreements and issues at border gates, for prompt solutions.

They vowed to support each other at the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the ASEAN Peoples' Forum (APF), and more; and bolster consultations on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Vietnam is scheduled to host the APF General Assembly next year and both countries support the mechanism of rotating APF key positions in the Asia-Pacific region.

Vietnam called on Laos to support Vietnam's plan to be in charge of Asia-Pacific in the 2022-2024 period and suggested Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CLV) affirm their higher roles and positions at the forum.

In regard to the holding of a conference of the NA Chairpersons of the CLV, Vietnam pledged to coordinate closely and actively participate in the event hosted by the Lao NA in 2023.

At the meeting, Ha took this occasion to invite Sanya to visit Vietnam in the coming time.