Foreign affairs of the National Assembly in the era of national growth
The National Assembly's foreign affairs continue to promote its stature and position, contributing to mobilizing resources to bring the country into a new era.
Lao Dong respectfully introduces the article "Foreign relations of the National Assembly in the era of national growth" by Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man:
Throughout its 20-year history, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National Assembly of Vietnam has continuously grown and innovated, gradually improving the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of its operations, increasingly firmly affirming its position and role as the highest representative body of the people, the highest state power body of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
In that common development, the foreign affairs of the National Assembly has become an important diplomatic channel, along with the foreign affairs of the Party, state diplomacy and people's foreign affairs, creating a combined strength for Vietnam's professional and modern diplomacy; contributing to enhancing the country's position in the international arena, promoting rapid and sustainable development, firmly protecting national sovereignty and national interests, and consolidating a complete and solid legal foundation for the extensive international integration process.
National Assembly foreign affairs are implemented methodically and comprehensively
Recent practice shows that the National Assembly's foreign affairs activities have been implemented increasingly methodically and comprehensively, with a large workload and many important results have been achieved in the following areas:
Regarding law-making and supervision, the National Assembly has passed many laws and regulations directly related to foreign affairs such as: Law on International Treaties, Law on National Borderaries, Law on the Vietnam Sea, Law on International Complies, Law on Citizenship, Law on Exit, entry, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, Law on Representative Authorities of Vietnam abroad; approved many important Treaties such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Vietnam - Europe Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA); the Investment Protection Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union (EVVI) and many new-generation Free Trade Agreements...
Thereby, it has contributed significantly to creating and gradually perfecting a solid legal foundation for the implementation of foreign affairs activities in accordance with the country's conditions; gradually meeting the requirements of international integration. The opinions and reviews of the National Assembly agencies and National Assembly deputies on foreign affairs and international integration issues are increasingly diverse, highly practical, and contribute practically to the work of planning and implementing foreign policy guidelines of the Party and State.
The bilateral parliamentary cooperation of the National Assembly has been actively and effectively promoted at many levels, focusing on relations with neighboring countries; bringing relations with strategic partner countries into depth and stability; strengthening friendship and substantially promoting relations with major partners and traditional friends...; especially at high-level with the active participation of the National Assembly Chairman and Vice Chairmen of the National Assembly with the motto of proactiveness, responsibility, positivity, flexibility and comprehensiveness in all fields.
In addition, the exchange of delegations between Committees and specialized agencies of the Vietnamese National Assembly with legislative bodies of other countries has been established and effectively implemented. The fields and contents of cooperation are increasingly diverse; not only stopping at exchanging and learning experiences in law-making, promoting cooperation in law enforcement supervision and international commitments, but also paving the way for development cooperation, solving existing problems, building trust and enhancing understanding with partner countries, contributing to affirming the image of a dynamic, innovative, professional and effective Vietnamese National Assembly.
To date, the Vietnamese National Assembly has established relations with more than 140 Parliaments and National Assemblies; established more than 50 Friendship Parliamentary Groups with the National Assemblies of other countries, and implemented many effective and practical activities. The National Assembly of Vietnam has signed many cooperation agreements with the Parliaments, including agreements signed simultaneously with both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The continuous expansion and deepening of cooperation between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the legislative bodies of other countries has contributed to promoting and facilitating the implementation of state diplomatic relations in the fields of politics, diplomacy, national defense - security, economy, trade, investment, sustainable development cooperation, science - technology, culture, education, and people-to-people exchange.
Within the framework of multilateral parliamentary cooperation, the National Assembly of Vietnam is currently a member of many regional and world parliamentary organizations such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (AIPA) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Council (AIPA), the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), the Francophone Parliamentary Forum (APF) ... In addition, the National Assembly of Vietnam also participates in a number of other non-regular inter-parliamentary forums.
The recent highlight of the Vietnamese National Assembly's multilateral diplomacy is the organization of important multilateral conferences of international and regional scale such as: the 132nd IPU General Assembly (IPU-132, 2015), the 26th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26, 2018) and the 41st AIPA General Assembly (AIPA-41, 2020), the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians' Conference of the World Parliamentary Union (in 2023), the APF Executive Committee Conference and the French-language Parliamentary Cooperation Forum on Sustainable Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change response (in 2025).
The National Assembly's foreign affairs activities have contributed to affirming Vietnam's readiness to be a friend and a trusted partner; proactively and actively participating in regional and international parliamentary forums, demonstrating responsibility in participating in solving regional and global issues. In multilateral parliamentary cooperation mechanisms, the Vietnamese National Assembly has actively and proactively participated, proposing many initiatives to promote sustainable development, measures to build trust, diplomacy to prevent and combat conflicts, resolving disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law... which have been supported and highly appreciated by countries.
In addition, the National Assembly's foreign affairs activities have promoted dialogue, contributing to the proper resolution of many specific foreign affairs issues such as territorial borders, struggles on issues of religion, democracy, human rights, foreign propaganda, handling shortcomings and problems in institutions or issues arising in bilateral cooperation.
The National Assembly's foreign affairs also made many contributions to the work of mobilizing the overseas Vietnamese community towards the Fatherland and joining hands to build the homeland and country. Through their visits abroad, in exchanges with leaders of the Parliament and National Assembly of countries with a large number of overseas Vietnamese, the National Assembly's working delegations have always paid attention to learning about the real life and activities of overseas Vietnamese; organized community meetings to exchange information, helping people better understand the country's socio-economic development achievements, new policies of the Party and State, especially policies for the overseas Vietnamese community and listened to the thoughts, aspirations, and encouraged overseas Vietnamese to return to their homeland and country.
The National Assembly's foreign affairs continue to promote its stature and position, contributing to mobilizing resources to bring the country into a new era
The 14th National Congress of the Party is a milestone of special significance for the country's development path in the new period, taking place in the context of the world and the region continuing to have rapid changes, with many unpredictable potential factors, opening up development opportunities but also posing many challenges for Vietnamese diplomacy.
In that context, the overarching goal of the National Assembly's foreign affairs is to, together with our diplomatic pillars, closely follow the Party's foreign policy and guidelines, inherit the achievements, continue to maintain a peaceful, stable and favorable environment for the cause of building, protecting and developing the country; successfully carry out strategic tasks on socio-economic development, strive to achieve the country's development goals by 2030, with a vision to 2045; at the same time, resolutely and persistently protect the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, ensure our core interests and in accordance with international law.
The role of the National Assembly's foreign affairs affairs needs to be further promoted as one of the important components of a comprehensive and modern diplomacy; proactively, actively and responsibly participate in multilateral parliamentary mechanisms; promote bilateral relations with parliamentary affairs of countries, especially with strategic partners and important partners; at the same time, improve the quality of legislative process, ratify and supervise the implementation of international treaties, ensure harmony between national and ethnic interests and international commitments.
In the context of digital transformation and rapid changes in the international environment, the National Assembly also faces the need to strongly innovate foreign affairs methods to adapt to the new situation, including increasing the application of information technology in organizing activities, expanding the form of online dialogue and exchange, improving timeliness and efficiency in contacting and connecting the parliament. In addition, building a team of staff working in parliamentary diplomacy who are professional, brave, and capable of using foreign languages and technology fluently, with an understanding of international law and practices is also a key factor to improve the quality and efficiency of operations.
In particular, following and studying the articles and directives of General Secretary To Lam on international integration in the new situation and the mission of foreign affairs in the "new era", the next journey of the National Assembly's foreign affairs policy needs to continue to promote a positive role in realizing the vision and aspiration to bring our country "from deep integration to full integration, to the state of a rising nation" as General Secretary To Lam said.
Under the light of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, together with Party foreign affairs, State diplomacy and people's foreign affairs, the National Assembly foreign affairs will continue to promote the stature and position that has been affirmed over the years, synchronously implementing groups of solutions to ensure the Party's leadership over the National Assembly foreign affairs; improving the quality of advisory work, increasing professionalism in implementing foreign affairs activities and continuing to promote the active and proactive role of the National Assembly on both bilateral and multilateral channels; contributing to mobilizing resources to bring the country into a new era, realizing the aspiration to build a prosperous, happy and prosperous Vietnam.
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