Regarding cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia, NA Chairman Hue stated, that the closer the two countries cooperate, the greater their contribution to ASEAN will be. He affirmed that Vietnam always supports “peace, harmony and friendship”, in its foreign policy.
Attending the forum were members of the high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam; Fadli Zon, Chairperson of the Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation of the House of Representatives of Indonesia; and Dino Patti Djalal, Founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), among others.
Upholding the principles of independence and self-reliance
Speaking at the forum, National Assembly Chairwoman Vuong Dinh Hue expressed her pleasure to visit and discuss with the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia - a leading centre for policy research in Indonesia and the region.
The two countries have had a deep cultural closeness since the 7th century, NA Chairman Hue emphasised, adding that Indonesia is a good friend who always accompanies Vietnam. Indonesia was the first country in Southeast Asia to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1955.
“President Ho Chi Minh and your two respected leaders, Sukarno and Hatta, shared the same vision of a world of peace and development,” the NA Chairman stated.
According to him, the profound changes over the past two decades affirmed that in the 21st century, the security and prosperous development of Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean, have a decisive influence on the security and prosperity of all countries and the globe.
To maintain a blue sky, a peaceful environment and prosperity for future generations, I think that all countries should join hands in building a regional cooperation structure of inclusion and stability, with connectivity in politics, security, the economy, trade, culture, society and people-to-people exchange, while upholding the UN Charter and international law.
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue
After nearly six decades of development, ASEAN has never been in a better position than it is today, but it has never faced as many challenges as it does today. He underlined that ASEAN needs to reposition itself, create ideas, inspire self-reliance and open resources for community development.
Therefore, the Vietnamese parliament leader suggested that the association should take three “unities” as a strong root for its flexibility and creativity.
First is the unity in firmly upholding the principle as shown in the maintenance of strategic balance in the relations between ASEAN and its partners.
He underscored that an ASEAN that matters must persist in ensuring the principles of independence and self-reliance, not allowing ASEAN to become an instrument for any confrontation and division.
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| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the forum. (Photo: Chien Thang) |
The second unity mentioned by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue is maintaining consensus through the ASEAN common stance on important regional security and development, as well as joint efforts in protecting the common stance and view following the "ASEAN style" and the ASEAN Charter.
Amid the recent complicated developments causing risks of tension in the East Sea/South China Sea, ASEAN should stay united and persistent in promoting dialogue and the settlement of disputes through peaceful means, ensuring maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom, fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and speeding up negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
NA Chairman Hue stressed the need for ASEAN to support Myanmar, to fully realise the "Five-Point Consensus". "Vietnam supports the ASEAN Chair of Indonesia and the ASEAN Special Envoy, in promoting their positive role and guiding ASEAN to realise this goal", said the National Assembly Chairman.
The third content emphasised by the National Assembly Chairman is the unity in community building, shown through putting people in the centre, taking them as the subject, target and motivation for community building.
"It is necessary to strengthen connections in the institution, infrastructure and people, to optimise development potential and support each other in engaging deeper into the regional and global supply chains", underlined the National Assembly Chairman.
Regarding cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia, the National Assembly Chairman stated that the closer the two countries cooperate, the greater their contribution to ASEAN will be. National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue quoted General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, during his visit to Indonesia in 2017: “Together with ASEAN, Vietnam and Indonesia will continue to develop; Together with Indonesia and Vietnam, ASEAN will grow stronger, making a worthy contribution to peace, independence, cooperation and development in the region and the world.".
The spirit of "peace, harmony and friendship"
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed that Vietnam always supports "peace, harmony and friendship" in its foreign policy.
Vietnam firmly adheres to the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization of external relations, and "being a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member" of the international community. Vietnam always upholds its responsibility to promote extensive and effective cooperation. Vietnam upholds multilateralism, the United Nations Charter and principles of international law, including the peaceful settlement of international disputes.
“These are the fundamental and core principles that make up Vietnam’s success on the 37-year journey of Doi Moi and extensive and comprehensive international integration.”. The NA Chairman also announced outstanding results on Vietnam’s socio-economic development and international integration over the past years, as well as the goals that Vietnam has set and solutions to achieve these goals.
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| NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and other delegates at the forum. (Photo: Chien Thang) |
The NA Chairman stated that Vietnam acknowledges the important role of parliamentary diplomacy, as well as the significance of soft power to contribute to deepening the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and other countries and partners.
Within the framework of multilateral inter-parliamentary organisations, such as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), Asia - Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie, Vietnam has always actively participated in and proposed many initiatives on gender equality, narrowing the development gap, digital transformation, response to climate change, epidemics, and energy and water security.
In particular, the National Assembly of Vietnam has always attached importance to, accompanied and made many outstanding imprints and contributions, to cooperation mechanisms in ASEAN, especially AIPA.
We understand that parliaments have a very important role due to their legislative functions, supreme supervision and facilitation of resource allocation, as well as strengthening connections with the people, thereby coordinating and supporting the Governments of all countries to develop mechanisms and policies to create a driving force for socio-economic development and the benefit of the people and business community.
NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue
In September 2023, Vietnam will host the IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians with the theme “The role of young people in promoting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through digital transformation and innovation.”
The NA Chairman expressed his wish that the AIPA member countries’ parliaments and partners, would actively support and participate in this important event.
Stressing that the relations between the two countries are entering a period with the convergence of favourable conditions, to overcome together to gain more new achievements, the NA leader proposed some specific directions on politics, defence-security and multilateral cooperation; enhancement of economic cohesion; people-to-people exchange; the cooperation on climate, environment and energy; and cooperation on parliamentary diplomacy, towards upgrading the two countries' relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainable development.
Recalling the views of the Chairperson of the Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation of the House of Representatives of Indonesia Fadli Zon and Founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) Dino Patti Djalal, that Vietnam and Indonesia are natural partners, NA Chairman Hue said the cooperation potential of the two countries is huge and it has been strongly promoted by the abundant internal resources of each country, as well as the rapid movement of the Fourth Industrial Revolution 4.0, in a strong and united ASEAN Community.
“We cannot yet imagine the world in 2045, as the two countries will celebrate the 100th anniversary of our founding. However, one thing for sure is that Indonesia and Vietnam have full will, aspiration and determination, to cooperate to realise the aspiration to become rich developed countries”, said the NA Chairman.
Cultural similarities, national foundation ideas, geographical proximity and close historical ties, as well as common aspirations for peace, are the natural glue that binds the two countries and carries timeless values. That friendship has been also constantly cultivated by generations of leaders and people of the two countries, just as President Ho Chi Minh talked with President Sukarno in 1959: “That is friendship, that is brotherhood.
NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue
Before concluding his speech, the Vietnamese NA Chairman mentioned Wilson's Bird-of-paradise, an Indonesian endemic which is known as the most spectacular birds-of-paradise, and Lac bird, which is a mythical Vietnamese national bird.
“These two birds spread their wings to fly high, as a symbol of our aspiration to conquer the sky, as well as our aspiration, spirit and strong trust, bringing the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership to a new height, contributing to building a dynamic, inclusive, peaceful, cooperative and sustainable Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean,” he emphasised.
At the event, which was attended by a large number of Indonesian scholars, researchers and students, the Vietnamese top legislator discussed issues with participants, including the potential and future of Vietnam-Indonesia cooperation, Vietnam's foreign policy, and Vietnam's actions to achieve its development goals.
Answering a female scholar's question about how a country, as well as the ASEAN community, should set its development goals to attract the attention and participation of the people, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue stressed the important role of the people. He asserted that Vietnam identifies people as the root of all of Vietnam’s development policies, adding that Vietnam's development platform has set the goal of building a society of wealthy people, a strong country, democracy, justice and civilisation.
“We place “wealthy people” before “strong country” because a country can only become strong once its people are wealthy. In Vietnam, “people know, people discuss, people do, people supervise, and people benefit,” he stressed. He went on to say that no matter how difficult our goal is; it will be successful once it draws the full participation of people. “The people must be entitled to enjoy all the fruits of the development,” he added.
