Hanoi (VNA) - National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, his spouse Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam, left Hanoi at noon on September 16 for the 46th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-46) in Malaysia and an official visit to the country.

The top legislator’s attendance at AIPA-46 is made at the invitation of Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Dato' Johari Bin Abdul, who is also AIPA-46 President, while his official visit is made at the invitation of President of the Malaysian Senate Dato’ Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah.

The leader was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, NA Vice Chairman Le Minh Hoan, NA Secretary-General and Chairman of the NA Office Le Quang Tung, and heads of several NA committees and agencies, along with representatives of some ministries.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Dinh Ngoc Linh said the chief legislator’s attendance at AIPA-46 demonstrates Vietnam’s proactive, responsible participation in AIPA alongside other member parliaments, and the country’s commitment to broadening its parliamentary relations with nations beyond the region.

At AIPA-46, Vietnam will bring forward initiatives to promote inclusivity and sustainability across ASEAN, and engage intensively in drafting resolutions and the joint communiqué of the Assembly, he said.

Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Dato' Tan Yang Thai also noted that the official visit to Malaysia and attendance at AIPA-46 from September 16-20 by NA Chairman Man mark a significant milestone for Malaysia - Vietnam relations, especially under the umbrella of the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2024.

Malaysia hopes that this visit will expand parliamentary exchanges through joint committee participation, staff-level cooperation, and shared capacity-building initiatives. It is also expected to deepen alignment between the two national legislatures on policies that promote equitable and sustainable development, while encouraging collaboration through parliamentary caucuses to address regional concerns such as climate resilience, human trafficking, and sustainable investment. At the same time, the visit provides an opportunity to reinforce the role of parliaments in ensuring transparency and accountability in policy execution, thereby strengthening democratic legitimacy. Through this engagement, both Malaysia and Vietnam can elevate their bilateral legislative cooperation and contribute decisively to ASEAN’s vision of inclusive prosperity and regional sustainability, he added.

This is the first official visit to Malaysia by a Vietnamese NA leader since the two countries elevated ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in November 2024./.