Vietnam’s National Assembly will continue to comply with its responsibilities at the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) and other multilateral parliamentary forums to strengthen the multilateral system and enhance cooperation to build a peaceful, stable, resilient and prosperous Asia Pacific.
| Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue addresses the event. Photo: Hai Yen |
Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue stressed the view at the 29th APPF, themed “The role of parliaments in strengthening resilience in the post-Covid-19 era” held under virtual format from South Korea on December 14.
According to Hue, the global and regional political and security landscape continues to undergo new and complicated developments, especially amid the increasing competition among countries.
“The Korean Peninsula is witnessing several troubling developments while ongoing disputes over territories, seas, islands, and resources in the East Sea are threatening maritime freedom security, and safety,” said Hue.
In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic is causing adverse medical, social, and economic impacts worldwide, resulting in multifaceted, far-reaching, and long-term consequences on a global scale.
Hue also mentioned non-traditional security challenges, such as climate change, environmental pollution, water, food and energy security, inequality, terrorism, and transnational crime.
These issues are inflicting tremendous harm upon each country's stability and resilience, threatening peace and the security and sustainable development of the region and beyond,” he continued.
Against this backdrop, Hue said countries and peoples in the Asia Pacific have been working closely to promote dialogue and cooperation, building trust and engaging in preventive diplomacy, as well as upholding international law and common norms.
| Overview of the event from Vietnam. Source: VNA |
“Parliament diplomacy, particularly through the APPF activities, plays a key role in ensuring the rule of law and strengthening collaboration, building necessary legal frameworks and making relevant decisions,” Hue continued, noting these endeavors also proved effective in overseeing government's implementation of international commitments and galvanizing the people support in these fields.
Vietnam’s recommendations to promote regional prosperity
To promote a prosperous and independent Asia-Pacific, Hue called for country members to step up parliamentary activities and strengthen oversight of the policy implementation efforts of APPF governments in maintaining peace, stability, and security in the region and the world.
“Only then can we realize our plans and visions, and particularly the vision for Asia Pacific parliamentary partnership towards 2030,” Hue said while expressing support for APEC cooperation for the implementation of the APEC vision to 2040 to ensure an open, robust, resilient, and peaceful Asia Pacific community for the prosperity of present and future generations.
Hue stressed the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation to prevent potential conflict, address security issues and disputes through peaceful means, step up dialogues and build trust to prevent unilateral actions, and uphold international law.
Hue expected countries to cooperate and transform the East Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation and maintain security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight.
“Every country should uphold responsibility, refrain from actions that may complicate the situation or escalate tensions and settle disputes in line with international law, especially the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS,” he added.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Hue asked the international community, parliament's and governments to bolster effective cooperation in containing Covid-19 and pushing for equitable access to vaccines.
“Such ties should also be harnessed in preventing and tackling traditional and non-traditional security challenges, such as facilitating the disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, countering terrorism and transnational crime, ensuring water, food and energy security, safeguarding maritime safety and security and protecting cybersecurity,” he said.
Another point raised by Hue is to promote inter-parliamentary cooperation in addressing other non-traditional security issues, including climate change.
Hue suggested support from the international community to assist governments in fulfilling their commitments, such as the Glasgow Agreement and the Paris Agreement, or support their efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, provide finance clean technology and multifaceted support for developing countries in adapting to climate change.
A key issue is to strengthen people-centered and people-oriented collaboration by safeguarding human security and sharing social security benefits achieved during the process of economic development.
“We should also strive to ensure that every actor in the society, particularly women, children, the elderly, and vulnerable groups can equitably access tangible benefits from free and open trade and investment activities,” he added.
Hue said parliaments need to better participate in policy planning and increased supervision over the implementation of such policies, ensuring they be conducted based on a human-centric approach to promote social equality and eradicate poverty.
That should also help the people gain access to sufficient healthcare services and benefit from social security policies as well as foster recovery amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
