The 48^th session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee opened in Ha Noi on 10 September under the chair of NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan speaks at the session. (Photo: VNA)

In her opening remarks, Ngan highlighted the huge workload of the meeting, expressing her hope that following the success of the 41^st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41), the session will come to fruition.

The legislators then heard a report on the outcome of AIPA-41 presented by head of the NA Committee for External Relations Nguyen Van Giau.

Giau said AIPA-41 completed its agenda during three days of working from 8-10 September, with a total of 26 resolutions and a joint statement adopted.

At the end of the meeting, the Legislative Council of Brunei officially took over the AIPA presidency from Viet Nam's NA.

Giau said the success of AIPA-41 has contributed to raising the position and prestige of the Vietnamese legislature and the country in general in the international arena.

Delegates to AIPA-41 appreciated Viet Nam’s thorough preparations for the meeting, he said, adding that the agenda matches the latest situation, especially solutions to COVID-19 response and post-pandemic economic recovery and the significance of consolidating regional peace, security and cooperation.

Many delegations said security and safety in the East Sea should be based on international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), soon reaching a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

This was the first time the AIPA General Assembly had been held online, demonstrating the resolve and efforts of the Vietnamese NA as well as other AIPA member parliaments to overcome difficulties and consolidate their solidarity and cooperation, Giau said.

Source: VNA