Brussels (VNA) – Vietnam has proposed initiatives to enhance the role of theAsia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)in coping with climate change.

Addressing theplenary session of the 10th ASEP Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, onSeptember 27, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Assembly Phung Quoc Hiensaid the country has proposed establishing a network which connects policymakers, parliamentarians, experts and businesses to fight climate change, and intensifyingthe supervision of the implementation of international commitments on climatechange.

Hienstressed that Vietnam supports the proposal of the European Parliament (EP) atthe recent 39th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) GeneralAssembly in Singapore on holding an annual inter-regional dialogue to expanddialogues between the EP and the AIPA on issues of shared concern, towards foundingan EP-AIPA inter-parliamentary forum.

He said Vietnam– one of the countries hardest hit by climate change - has built an action planon the implementation of the Paris agreement on climate change. The country hasjoined the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

Hien said althoughclimate change has affected global politics and caused many conflicts, it hasalso been seen as a factor promoting international cooperation.

Given thechallenges of increasing nationalism and protectionism, non-traditional issues,including climate change, help multilateralism affirm its role in handling majorproblems of the era, he said. 

The officiallauded the contributions of the ASEM and ASEP to addressing environmentalissues over the past more than two decades, especially their cooperationefforts in sustainable management of resources, including water resources.

He called onall sides to step up collaboration in the context that climate change hasthreatened social life in all aspects and affected the materialisation ofsustainable development goals of the UN, as well as the security of eachcountry, region and the globe.

Within theframework of ASEP 10, NA Vice Chairman Hien had a working session with EP VicePresident Dimitrios Papadimoulis.


Hien praisedPapadimoulis’s contributions to relations between Vietnamand the EP, and the cooperation between Vietnam and the EU.

He noted progressmade in the Vietnam-EU collaboration in a wide range of areas, from politicsand diplomacy to economy, investment, climate change, green energy, health careand urban management and development.

The officialsaid legislative ties have been an important pillar of cooperation between the Vietnamand the EU, adding that through meetings, dialogues and delegation exchanges,the two sides have won each other’s trust.

For hispart, Papadimoulis expressed his hope that Vietnam and the EU will reinforce theirties.

Speaking of Vietnam’s shiftof its agriculture towards green and organic production, Papadimoulis said thisis also the EU’s goal and voiced his hope that the two sides will producebetter products and expand the export market.

They shared thewish that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement will soon be reached and ratifiedofficially, and agreed to continue their support for multilateralism and freetrade.

ViceChairman of the Vietnam National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien is attending the ASEP10 in Brussels from September 27-28 at the invitation of EP President AntonioTajani.-VNA