Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly’s Committee for Economic and Financial Affairs Phan Van Mai met with Mardani Ali Sera, head of the Indonesian delegation and Chair of the House of Representatives' Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Body (BKSAP) on the sidelines of the 46th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-46) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 18.
Mai stressed that Vietnam and Indonesia enjoy a long-standing friendship, shared interests, and similar viewpoints as members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He noted that bilateral relations have made significant strides in recent years, particularly with the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2025, a historic milestone that opened up a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.
For his part, Mardani Ali Sera congratulated Vietnam on its achievements, saying the country serves as a driving force for Southeast Asia. He called for swift implementation of the cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Indonesian House of Representatives. He also highlighted the need to enhance people-to-people exchanges and strengthen the participation of women and youth in inter-parliamentary activities.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the growing ties between the two legislatures, which have become more substantive and effective at both bilateral and multilateral levels. They noted frequent delegation exchanges and experience sharing in law-making, while also creating a legal framework to foster cooperation in emerging fields such as green and circular economy, digital transformation, energy transition, semiconductor industry, and the development of electric vehicle and battery ecosystems.
The two officials agreed to further promote delegation exchanges and high-level contacts, and to effectively implement agreements reached by their leaders. They emphasised the importance of formulating an action programme to deploy the Vietnam – Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with parliamentary cooperation as a key component.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing legislative collaboration through coordinated oversight of bilateral agreements, facilitating comprehensive cooperation at both national and local levels, and deepening business and community linkages. Both sides pledged to reinforce ASEAN's unity and centrality, while supporting each other at regional and international forums, including inter-parliamentary platforms./.
