General Secretary of the National Assembly Bui Van Cuong has announced 10 highlights of the legislature in 2023 on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the first parliament general election (January 6, 1946 - January 6, 2024) and the new year 2024.
1. Record-high number of sessions
In 2023, for the first time in its 78-year history, the legislature of Vietnam held the largest number of sessions in a year with five, including three extraordinary sessions (from the second to fourth) to consider and decide on 84 major, important issues.
The sessions promptly meet urgent practical requirements, making an important contribution to stabilizing and developing the country, and promoting international integration, creating a premise to accelerate the implementation of tasks in 2024 and the following years.
The "extraordinary" sessions have become "normal" to properly meet the needs of socio-economic life and the legitimate aspirations of voters and people nationwide.
2. Draft amended laws on Land and Credit Institutions not adopted
With 12 million comments from voters and discussions at three sessions of the National Assembly (NA), the draft amended Land Law still has a number of issues that need to be considered carefully. The draft amended Law on Credit Institutions was discussed at two sessions, but a consensus was not met over some issues.
Therefore, at the sixth session, the NA decided not to pass these two draft laws because they relate to so many fields with great impacts on the economy and people's lives. It is necessary to apply a special, unprecedented process to thoroughly consider all aspects of the legislation.
This decision has received high consensus and support from the public, demonstrating the prudence and responsibility of the parliament in legislative activities: always promoting quality and efficiency.
3. Approving Global Minimum Tax (GMT) rule
The NA approved a resolution on the application of the GMT rule in the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) actions of OECD from 2024 and decided on the establishment of an investment support fund which aims to internalize international commitments and create a favorable business investment environment to support businesses. The resolution was passed with a very high rate of votes.
4. First national conference to promote and bring laws and resolutions approved by the 15th legislature to life
On September 6, 2023, for the first time, the NA Standing Committee coordinated with the government to organize the first national conference to materialize laws and resolutions of the 15th NA with the participation of 2,400 delegates from Party and State agencies, elected bodies, administrative-judicial units, and socio-political organizations.
This was an unprecedented activity of particular importance to strengthen the close connection between law making and law enforcement, ensuring that laws are observed in a serious, consistent, timely, effective and efficient manner in the spirit of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee on continuing to build and perfect the socialist rule-of-law state of Vietnam in the new period.
The conference focused on evaluating the implementation of 23 laws and 28 resolutions passed by the parliament from the beginning of the 15th term to the 5th session. Applauded by relevant agencies, the event was a valuable lesson, not only for the 15th NA, but also for the next legislatures.
5. General review of legal documents in all fields
The government and the NA Standing Committee focused on reviewing legal documents in 22 key areas, including laws on bidding, auctions, planning, public investment, management and use of land and public assets, state budget, public finance, public-private partnership, socialization of public services, investment, environment, construction, real estate business, banking, finance, financial autonomy, stocks, bonds, businesses, valuation and other fields.
As many as 523 legal documents, ordinances, and resolutions of the NA and the NA Standing Committee, decrees and decisions of the Prime Minister, and circulars of ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies were checked.
The results affirmed that the legal system is basically synchronous, united, and feasible; consistent with the Party's policies and guidelines, the provisions of the Constitution; and compatible with international treaties that Vietnam is a member.
Not many documents and contents were found to have conflicts or overlaps. Inadequacies in sub-law documents under the jurisdiction of state administrative agencies will be promptly amended. They will be included in the law building programme of the NA Standing Committee during this term.
6. Supervision activities renovated to improve law making and enforcement
NA supervision activities were improved and innovated, increasingly showing flexibility and sensitivity to major issues emerging in the country's socio-economic life and clearly demonstrating the legislature’s working philosophy of facilitating development, which were recognized and appreciated by voters.
For the first time, the NA held plenary discussions to discuss the resolution of voters' petitions and on supervising the work of receiving citizens and handling their complaints and denunciations, which were recognized and appreciated by the public and voters.
The legislative body conducted supreme supervision of not only issues that had already been carried out, but also those being implemented in practice, such as the three national target programs. This move aimed to help the government, ministries, agencies and localities accelerate the progress and quality of the programs.
For the first time, the NA Standing Committee conducted thematic supervision of the implementation of Resolution No. 88/2014/QH13 on reforming general education programs and textbooks. Based on which, the Prime Minister issued a directive to implement the Resolution of the NA Standing Committee on this task.
In particular, the NA successfully organized a vote of confidence only once during the 15th term for those holding positions elected or approved by the NA and the People's Council according to the Politburo's regulations.
7. Adopting many important socio-economic and state budget decisions
In order to remove current difficulties and institutionalize the country's strategic development orientations in the coming years, the NA promptly issued many important decisions such as extending a 2% reduction in value added tax; allowing allocation of the remaining over VND100 trillion ($4.1 billion) of the medium-term public investment plan from the central budget in the 2021-2025 period, and freeing capital from the socio-economic recovery and development program and the national target programs to ministries, central agencies and localities.
The legislature approved Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15 on piloting a number of distinct mechanisms and policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City; decided and adjusted investment policies for a number of important projects under the jurisdiction of the NA.
The parliament basically amended and supplemented procedures and regulations on entry and exit of Vietnamese citizens and foreigners in Vietnam, approved under the National Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.
It continued to allow piloting a number of distinct policies for investment in 21 road projects of national importance connecting regions and provinces; requested completion of a synchronous legal framework to promptly and effectively implement the salary reform plan according to Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee from July 1, 2024.
8. The 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians a great success
2023 was a year of outstanding success for parliamentary diplomacy, which took place vibrantly, actively, diversely, comprehensively and effectively on both bilateral and multilateral spheres.
There were over 10 official visits by presidents/speakers of foreign parliaments and many working trips by the Vietnamese NA’s leaders to countries to participate in multilateral forums. Many international agreements were signed or re-signed between the Vietnamese NA and the parliaments of other countries.
The most prominent highlight of 2023 was the NA’s successful hosting of the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians for the first time with the theme "The role of youth in accelerating the achievement of the SDGs through digital transformation and innovation".
The conference made a big bang in the global parliamentary community with the largest scale ever, attracting the participation of 500 international and domestic delegates. It adopted a Conference Statement for the first time after nine editions.
This also marked the first time the IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians had had its own logo and identity with profound meaning, expressing the identity of the host country Vietnam while promoting the spirit of solidarity and youth.
9. First Dien Hong Awards 2023 motivates journalists to create quality works
Implementing a project on reforming the communication work of the 15th legislature approved by the Party Delegation to the NA in early 2023, the NA Office coordinated with the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Popularization and Education, the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Vietnam Journalists’ Association and Vietnam Television to successfully organize the first national press awards on the NA and People’s Councils (Dien Hong Awards) in 2023.
Although it was held for the first time, the Dien Hong Awards established its position and prestige in the country's journalism award system and the journalist community. The award received 3,328 entries from 178 domestic and foreign press agencies, the offices of the NA delegations and the People's Councils.
The results of the first edition contributed to honoring journalists, creating cohesion between the press and people-elected agencies and deputies, and consolidating and enhancing the position and role of the NA and People’s Councils in the political system and in the hearts of voters and people.
10. The first "Children's National Assembly" mock session
The session was organized to create an environment and conditions for children to have a forum to raise their voices, thoughts, and aspirations. It was also a political activity aimed at nurturing dreams and great ambitions among children, the future owners of the country.
The first "Children's National Assembly" hypothetical session in 2023 was chaired by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee and the Central Council of the Ho Chi Minh Vanguard Children's Union, in coordination with the NA's Culture and Education Committee and the National Assembly Office.
The event took place in September with two themes "Ensuring children’s healthy and creative interactions in cyberspace" and "Preventing and controlling accidents, injuries, violence and abuse against children.”
This was one of the impressive events in the activities of the 15th NA and will continue to be held periodically to promote the rights of children - the country's future generation – to engage in political and social activities, contributing to ensuring the rights and interests of children in line with the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws.
At the end of the session, the child delegates passed the Resolution of the first “Children's National Assembly” hypothetical session 2023. This resolution is considered a report on petitions of special voters, which is the basis for the NA, the government and other departments, agencies and organizations to make better preparations in the process of promulgating legal policies on child-related issues.