Promoting the role of parliament for a united and prosperous ASEAN

Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man.

Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man .

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, his wife and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended the 46th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-46) at the invitation of Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives and AIPA-46 President Dato' Johari Bin Abdul and paid an official visit to Malaysia at the invitation of President of the Malaysian Senate Dato' Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah, from September 16 to 20, 2025.

The working trip contributes to spreading the image of Vietnam as an active and responsible member, always striving to contribute to multilateral forums, including ASEAN, for the goal of peace , stability, inclusive and sustainable development; at the same time, affirming the determination to strengthen the close friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Malaysia.

The global landscape is witnessing grey shades of intense geopolitical competition, rising conflicts and slowing global economic growth.

Faced with complex and unpredictable developments that have multi-dimensional impacts on the security environment of countries, ASEAN continues to promote its role as a "beacon" of peace, a model of regional organization in upholding the spirit of cooperation and dialogue to resolve disagreements.

On the journey of efforts to achieve the development goals set by ASEAN, it is impossible not to mention the cooperation, companionship and strong mutual support of the parliaments of member countries.

Corresponding to the theme of ASEAN Year 2025 “Inclusive and Sustainable”, the theme of the 46th AIPA General Assembly is “Parliament at the forefront for an inclusive and sustainable ASEAN growth”, as an affirmation of the key role of parliaments, placing parliaments as the main driving force to promote ASEAN development. AIPA-46 encourages closer cooperation between parliaments and socio-political organizations, the private sector, academia, etc.

The discussion content within the framework of AIPA-46 delved into aspects such as: The role of parliaments in strengthening ASEAN-led mechanisms; the legislative framework and the contribution of parliamentary diplomacy to supporting and maintaining ASEAN's central role...

During the working trip, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and his wife, along with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, also paid an official visit to Malaysia - the country assuming the role of ASEAN Chair in 2025. The visit took place in the context of the two countries' relations being continuously consolidated and developing very well.

Since officially becoming a member of AIPA in 1995, Vietnam has always been an active, proactive and responsible member, ready to accompany AIPA to build a united and prosperous ASEAN. Vietnam's persistent dedication and sense of responsibility have been demonstrated through a series of initiatives to promote AIPA innovation or its support and close coordination to successfully organize General Assemblies in other countries. At AIPA-46, the Vietnamese National Assembly will actively participate in discussions and contribute to draft resolutions and joint communiques.

Located in Southeast Asia, Vietnam and Malaysia share similarities in culture, history as well as deep emotional ties between the two peoples.

Based on mutual understanding and trust, since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, Vietnam and Malaysia have written brilliant chapters of cooperation together. The two sides upgraded their bilateral relations to Strategic Partnership in 2015 and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024.

High-level and all-level contacts, as well as bilateral cooperation mechanisms, are maintained regularly. The two countries share views and strategic interests on most international issues, and coordinate closely at ASEAN and multilateral forums.

Parliamentary cooperation is an important pillar, contributing to building a solid foundation for Vietnam-Malaysia relations. The National Assembly of Vietnam and the Parliament of Malaysia continue to maintain good cooperation within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

The two sides regularly exchange delegations and closely coordinate at regional and international inter-parliamentary mechanisms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), AIPA, etc.

High political trust is an important foundation for cooperation between Vietnam and Malaysia to reap many positive achievements in fields such as economics, trade, investment, defense, education, tourism, and energy.

Economically, Malaysia is Vietnam's third largest trading partner in ASEAN and Vietnam's ninth largest in the world. Malaysia is also an important investor in Vietnam, ranking third in ASEAN and tenth among countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 731 valid projects and a total registered capital of about 13 billion USD.

The working trip of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man sent a strong message about Vietnam's consistent policy of always attaching importance to relations with neighboring countries and ASEAN, including Malaysia. The visit opened up an opportunity for the two sides to exchange directions and specific measures to improve the effectiveness of cooperation between the two parliaments, thereby contributing to strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, bringing practical benefits to the people of the two countries.

Taking place on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN and AIPA, this working trip of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man once again affirmed the strong determination of Vietnam and other countries in the region to strengthen solidarity and unity, maintain stability, realize the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, and bring ASEAN to increasingly successful steps on the new journey.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phat-huy-vai-tro-nghi-vien-vi-mot-asean-doan-ket-thinh-vuong-post908337.html