(VOVworld) – Myanmar’s Parliamentary Speaker, Thura U Shwe Mann began an official visit to Vietnam on Friday at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung. The visit is aimed at establishing a cooperative mechanism between the two legislatures.
Vietnam and Myanmar will mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. The two countries have been promoting their traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation. There have been a number of visit exchanges including a visit to Myanmar by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in April, 2010, a visit to Vietnam by President Thein Sein in March, 2012, and by Parliamentary Speaker Khin Aung Myint in June, 2012, and a visit to Myanmar by National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung in July, 2013. Vietnam and Myanmar have had two annual political consultation meetings between their two Foreign Ministries.
Favorable conditions to increase bilateral cooperation
Myanmar’s parliamentary election after 20 years and the government of President Thein Sein trying to boost democracy and integration are favorable conditions for Vietnam and Myanmar to foster cooperation.
During his visit in July, 2013, Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and Myanmar’s former Parliamentary Speaker Khin Aung Myint signed the first cooperative agreement between the two legislatures. The two sides agreed to increase experience sharing in legislation and supervision and boost the implementation of agreements between the two governments. Vietnam-Myanmar and Myanmar-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Groups have been established.
Striving to boost two-way trade
Economic, trade, and investment relations between Vietnam and Myanmar have not matched their potential. The two countries hope to increase two-way trade value to 1 billion USD by 2015 and 2.5 billion USD by 2020. Vietnam and Myanmar have stepped up cooperation in agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, transportation, energy, healthcare, and culture. The two countries have been promoting sister city relations between their localities to boost their economic cooperation. Annual trade fairs have been held to attract investors to each other’s market. Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh said: “Vietnam and Myanmar have established a number of cooperative frameworks in politics, diplomacy, defense, security, economics, and trade. Both countries are trying to bring bilateral ties to a higher level.”
Increasing coordination within ASEAN and other regional and global forums
As members of ASEAN, Vietnam and Myanmar have been working closely together at other regional forums such as the Greater Mekong Sub-region and the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam cooperative mechanism. Myanmar is this year’s ASEAN President. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said: “Vietnam is committed to helping Myanmar fulfill its role as ASEAN President in 2014 to increase internal solidarity and promote ASEAN’s role in regional structures. This will contribute to the building of an ASEAN Community by 2015.”
Myanmar is consistent with ASEAN’s stance on the East Sea issue, which is to settle all disputes peacefully with respect for international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. As Vietnam will host the 132nd General Assembly of the Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) next year, relations between Vietnam and Myanmar and their legislatures will continue to be consolidated.