Manila (VNA) – Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) TongThi Phong on September 15 had bilateral meetings with Lao NA Chairwoman PanyYathotou, Thai President of the National Legislative Assembly PornpetchWichitcholchai and Cambodian NA Chairman Samdech Heng Samrin.

The meetings were held on the sidelines of the 38th General Assembly of theASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 38) in Manila, the Philippines.

The Vietnamese official briefed Lao NA Chairwoman Pany Yathotou on Vietnam’spreparations for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week late this year and the 26thAsia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) from January 18-21 in 2018.

She expressed her delights at sound relations between the two countries in thepast years, particularly activities celebrating 55th anniversary of the diplomaticties, including celebrations made by women parliamentarian groups as well asexchanges of youth unions.

She hoped for further relations between the two legislative organisationsthrough exchanging delegation and organising forums of shared concern like on publicdebts and land management.

Pany Yathotou wanted to increase cooperation between the two nationalassemblies. She asked the Vietnamese NA to share experiences in NA and people’scouncil activities at all levels, vote of confidence conducting as well as theencouragement of activities from the small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Meeting with Thai President of the National Legislative Assembly PornpetchWichitcholchai, Phong spoke highly of friendship and cooperation between thetwo legislative bodies and peoples.

She congratulated Thailand on its stability and development while stressing thesignificance of the adoption of the new constitution, a legal basis for nationalconstruction.

The Vietnamese NA wants to enhance exchanges of parliamentarians, especially thefriendship parliamentarian group, she said, adding that Vietnam will senddelegations to Thailand to learn experience in culture, healthcare and socialsecurity.

For his part, Pornpetch Wichitcholchai highly valued results of recent Vietnamvisits by Thai leaders.

During her meeting with Cambodian NA Chairman Samdech Heng Samrin, Phong saidthat the two sides need to promote cooperation and exchanges between youth andwomen unions and friendship parliamentarian groups as the two countries arecelebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Heng Samrin expressed his pleasure with the two countries’ relations over thepast years while congratulated Vietnam on its achievements, saying theycontributed to raising the nation’s position in the region and the world.

He said he will attend the APPF-26 and Cambodia will host the next event in2019.

From September 14-15, the Vietnamese NA delegation attended meetings of the AIPA-38Executive Board and Women Parliamentarians of AIPA as well as visitedVietnamese Embassy in the Philippines.-VNA