At the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly (Photo: quochoi.vn)

In the first part of the session, which lasted 18 days, the National Assembly completed personnel work, conducted an effective Q&A session, and contributed opinions to dozens of draft laws.

Fine-tuning personnel work

Lawmakers elected a new State President, National Assembly Chairman, and National Assembly Vice Chairman and approved a new Deputy Prime Minister. They also approved the appointment of a new Minister of Public Security for the 2021-2026 term. Those were the highlights of a meeting which drew a great deal of public attention.

Nguyen Thi Su, a National Assembly deputy for Thua Thien-Hue province, said: "The personnel work was completed successfully with a high degree of consensus among the deputies. This shows that those who were nominated met all requirements as to qualifications, morality, leadership, and experience."

Deputies agreed that filling key positions promptly was important to keep the country stable and growing sustainably.

During the meeting, deputies discussed implementation of the socio-economic development plan and state budget in the early months of this year. They proposed solutions to stabilize the macroeconomy, maintain key economic balances, control inflation, manage exchange rates and essential goods, improve the monetary market, restore production and business activities, create jobs, and address economic "bottlenecks."

Frank discussions in Q&A session

The Q&A session spanned two and a half days and focused on four sectors: natural resources and the environment; industry and trade; audits; and culture, sports, and tourism. The heads of the four sectors, along with Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, addressed the questions posed by 162 deputies.

Mai Thi Phuong Hoa, a deputy for Nam Dinh province, said: "We appreciate the responses of the four Ministers and Deputy Prime Minister Ha. Their answers were focused and addressed the core issues directly and comprehensively. Some ministers, like Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh, were participating in the Q&A for the first time and demonstrated a strong command of the topics. They effectively addressed key points and proposed numerous solutions to the problems raised by the deputies."

New National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, who chaired the session, contributed significantly to its success as he sought satisfactory answers for all issues, including complex and challenging issues that spanned multiple ministries and sectors.

High on the agenda of the NA meeting were also 14 bills and oversight reports. The deputies provided well-grounded political, legal, and practical insights to fine-tune the legislation.

Truong Xuan Cu, a deputy for Hanoi, said: "The opinions expressed by the National Assembly deputies showed a strong sense of responsibility and careful preparation. They reflected a thorough understanding of voter sentiments and current realities, leading to practical and effective discussions."

The National Assembly also discussed the ratification of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Agreement. Lawmakers overwhelmingly agreed that the National Assembly should approve the Government’s proposal on the ratification of the UK’s accession protocol at the ongoing mid-year session, saying that the move will bring significant benefits to Vietnam.

2024 is deemed the year to create breakthroughs to accelerate crucial programs and work plans. The outcomes of the recent NA meeting have laid a solid foundation for breakthrough decisions and policies to accomplish the National Assembly's legislative work, oversight, and decision-making on important national issues.