Hanoi (VNA) – Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan anda high-ranking delegation left Hanoi on January 14 afternoon for the 27th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific ParliamentaryForum (APPF-27) in Siem Reap, Cambodia, from January 14-16.

Joining the delegation are NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu, NA SecretaryGeneral and Head of the NA Office Nguyen Hanh Phuc, Chairman of the NACommittee for External Relations Nguyen Van Giau, Chairman of the NA Committeefor Ethnic Affairs Ha Ngoc Chien, and Chairwoman of the NA Committee for SocialAffairs Nguyen Thuy Anh, among others.

The trip ismade at the invitation of President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin who doubles as Chairmanof the APPF-27.

The APPF was established on March 15, 1993, with the purpose of buildingtrust among parliaments in the Asia-Pacific via the enhancement of dialoguesbetween regional parliamentarians, thus contributing to regional peace,sustainability and prosperity.

The APPF gathers 27 member parliaments:Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji,Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia,Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, the Republic ofKorea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.

In the context of deeper globalisation, together with the Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the APPF has affirmed its role as a crucialdialogue and cooperation mechanism among regional nations. 

Since becoming an APPF member in January 1995, the Vietnamese NA hasactively participated in all activities of the forum with the first mostspecial event being the hosting of the APPF-13 in January 2005 in Ha Long inthe northern province of Quang Ninh.

Through APPF meetings, Vietnam’s legislative body made proposals andrecommendations to step up coordination, contribute to maintaining peace,stability, and prosperity in the region, while expanding the forum’s ties withother inter-parliamentary organizations in the world. 

At the APPF-26 in Hanoi from January 18-21, 2018, the Hanoi Declarationwas adopted, setting forth a new vision for parliamentary ties towards 2030. Itboosted the partnership between APPF and APEC to realize Asian-Pacific people’saspiration about a region of peace and development.

Under the theme “Strengthening parliamentary partnership for peace,security, and sustainable development”, the APPF-27 will set priority on thegoal of safeguarding peace, security and sustainable development.

Through their attendance at the APPF-27, Vietnamese parliamentarianscontinue performing their proactive involvement in multilateral parliamentarydiplomatic activities, thus heightening the country’s role and position at thisforum and joining in diplomatic efforts for peace, cooperation anddevelopment.-VNA