Nghị quyết 1170/2016/NQ-UBTVQH13

RESOLUTION

PROMULGATING THE REGULATION ON EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

Pursuant the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

Pursuant to Law No. 57/2014/QH13 on Organization of the National Assembly;

Pursuant to the Drafting Board’s report;

RESOLVES:

Article 1.

To promulgate together with this Resolution the Regulation on external activities of the National Assembly.

Article 2.

The National Assembly Standing Committee, members of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, the National Assembly Secretary General, the National Assembly Office, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee and related agencies, organizations and individuals shall implement this Regulation.

Article 3.

This Resolution takes effect on the date of its signing.

Resolution No. 618/NQ-UBTVQH12 of May 6, 2008, of the National Assembly Standing Committee ceases to be effective on the date this Resolution takes effect.

REGULATION

ON EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
(Promulgated together with Resolution No. 1170/2016/NQ-UBTVQH13 of March 17, 2016, of the National Assembly Standing Committee)

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation and subjects of application

1. This Regulation specifies the tasks, powers, order, procedures and conditions for implementing external activities of the National Assembly.

2. This Regulation applies to the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons, agencies of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General, the National Assembly Office and National Assembly deputies.

Article 2. Interpretation of terms

In this Regulation, the terms below shall be construed as follows:

1. External activities include activities of outgoing and incoming delegations; receiving and conferring commendation involving foreign elements; joining or leaving international or regional inter-parliamentary organizations; hosting or holding international and regional inter- parliamentary conferences and seminars; international cooperation; receiving international guests; answering to interview questions of foreign journalists and publishing news on external activities.

2. Annual external activity program means a tentative program on external activities approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee.

3. Unplanned external activity means an activity not yet included in approved programs.

4. Adjustment of planned external activity means the substantial change, supplementation or adjustment of the content, agenda, time and funding of and participants in an external activity which has been approved by a competent authority to meet unexpected requirements.

Article 3. General principles

External activities of the National Assembly must comply with the following principles:

1. To thoroughly grasp and conform with the Party’s line and State’s policies on external relations, the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Law on Organization of the National Assembly, the Political Bureau’s Regulation on unified management of external activities, and relevant laws on external activities;

2. To closely combine external activities of the Party and State with people-to-people external activities on the basis of clear division and assignment of tasks;

3. To comply with annual programs on external activities decided by the National Assembly Standing Committee and strictly adhere to the policy on practical and economical use of state budget funds and efficient use of development assistance sources;

4. To organize and implement external activities under the direction of the National Assembly Standing Committee and National Assembly Chairperson. To implement specific activities on the basis of the principle of equivalence and reciprocity in international relations. The National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall report exceptional cases to competent authorities for decision;

5. To clearly assign, delegate and identify tasks and powers of each agency, organization and individual in external activities of the National Assembly;

6. The National Assembly’s Committee for External Affairs shall assist the National Assembly leaders and National Assembly Standing Committee in coordinating and harmonizing external and international integration activities of the National Assembly.

Chapter II

EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE AND LEADERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Section 1. THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE

Article 4. Tasks and powers of the National Assembly Standing Committee in external activities

1. To report to the National Assembly on matters concerning the State’s external policy on the relationships with foreign national assemblies, international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations and other international organizations.

2. When the National Assembly is in recess, to consider the Government’s periodical reports on external affairs; to give opinions on matters concerning the State’s fundamental external policy before submitting them to the National Assembly.

3. To decide to join or leave international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations; to decide to host international and regional inter-parliamentary conferences in Vietnam.

4. To decide on the establishment, organization and operation of Vietnam’s parliamentary friendship organizations.

5. To approve annual external activity programs of the National Assembly Standing Committee; to consider and decide on the tentative budgets for external activities.

6. To direct, harmonize and coordinate external activities of the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, the National Assembly Office, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the State Audit Office of Vietnam, the National Assembly Secretary General, parliamentary friendship groups, and female parliamentarians’ groups and young parliamentarians’ groups.

7. To consider and evaluate implementation results of annual external activity programs of the National Assembly; to consider reports on outcomes of overseas visits and working trips of the National Assembly’s delegations as well as outcomes of visits to and working sessions with the National Assembly of foreign national assemblies’ and international organizations’ delegations; to consider reports on results of international conferences hosted by the National Assembly; to consider periodical reports on external activities of agencies of the National Assembly, the National Assembly Secretary General, the National Assembly Office, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, and the State Audit Office of Vietnam.

Section 2. THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAIRPERSON

Article 5. Tasks and powers of the National Assembly Chairperson in external activities

1. To direct external activities of the National Assembly; to represent the National Assembly in external relations; to direct operations of the National Assembly’s delegations at international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations.

2. To consider and decide on external activities of National Assembly Vice Chairpersons, members of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Chairpersons of the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, heads of agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee who are also members of the National Assembly Standing Committee, National Assembly deputies’ delegations, the State Auditor General and other persons managed by the National Assembly Standing Committee.

3. To consider and decide to allow holders of the posts specified in Clause 2 of this Article to receive orders, medals, titles or prizes conferred by foreign and international organizations, except cases falling under the competence of the Party’s Political Bureau or Secretariat.

4. To consider and decide on the reception of, and agendas of work sessions with, heads and deputy heads of foreign national assemblies; reception of heads of foreign national assemblies’ committees and equivalent leaders; and leaders of international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations on working visits to Vietnam.

5. To direct the National Assembly’s External Affair Committee to assist the National Assembly Standing Committee in harmonizing, coordinating and implementing external activities of the National Assembly.

6. To decide on the holding of conferences on external affairs of the National Assembly when necessary.

Article 6. Authorization

The National Assembly Chairperson may authorize a National Assembly Vice Chairperson to perform some rights and exercise some powers of the National Assembly Chairperson in external activities specified in this Regulation.

Article 7. Process of implementing external activities of the National Assembly Chairperson

1. An oversea working trip shall be organized as follows:

a/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall gather opinions of related agencies and prepare a report on the policy and political plan of the working trip and submit the report to the member of the Political Bureau or the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee in charge of external affairs for opinion before submitting the report to the Political Bureau for consideration and decision;

b/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall, in coordination with concerned agencies, organize and send an advance team and report related matters to the National Assembly Chairperson. The advance team shall be composed of representatives of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, the National Assembly Office and the Guard High Command. When necessary, the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee may decide to add representatives from other related agencies to the advance team so as to meet work requirements.

c/ The National Assembly Office shall assume the prime responsibility for carrying out protocol activities serving the working trip. The National Assembly Office shall work out a protocol plan based on the contents and requirements of the political plan prepared by the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee;

d/ The National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the National Assembly Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies in, preparing a list of official members of the delegation and submit it to the National Assembly Chairperson for consideration and decision; the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall coordinate with the National Assembly Office in making a list of entourages and accompanying reporters.

2. A delegation on official visit shall be received as follows:

a/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall prepare a report on the policy and political plan. The National Assembly Office shall prepare a protocol plan based on the content and requirements of the political plan;

b/ A representative of the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, the National Assembly Office or the related parliamentary friendship group shall receive the delegation at airport;

c/ The participants to the official reception, talk or meeting, or banquet for the delegation, which shall be chaired by the National Assembly Chairperson, include representatives of the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committees, the National Assembly Secretary General, and representatives of the National Assembly’s Ethnic Council and Committees according to the principle of equivalence, the related parliamentary friendship group and National Assembly deputies;

d/ The Permanent Body the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee or a representative of the related parliamentary friendship group shall accompany and see off the delegation at airport.

3. International guests shall be received as follows:

a/ For guests of the Party and State on official visits to Vietnam, leaders of foreign national assemblies and foreign national assemblies’ committees on unofficial visits, the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall submit reception plans to the National Assembly Chairperson/or approval.

For each delegation, the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall submit a list of representatives who will join the National Assembly Chairperson in receiving guests and request representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or concerned agencies to report to the National Assembly Chairperson on the relation between Vietnam and the country concerned and matters related to the visit;

b/ Based on the approved reception plans, the National Assembly Office shall prepare and implement protocol plans;

c/ The National Assembly Chairperson shall receive foreign Presidents, Prime Ministers, Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons of foreign national assemblies or the equivalent, with the participation of representatives of the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General or leaders of the National Assembly Office, and representatives of agencies of the National Assembly or agencies under the National Assembly Office on the principle of equivalence;

d/ The National Assembly Chairperson shall receive delegations of parliamentarians from foreign national assemblies’ committees, parliamentary friendship groups, groups of female parliamentarians and groups of young parliamentarians. The reception shall be attended by representatives of permanent bodies of the corresponding committees of the National Assembly or representatives of parliamentary friendship groups, in case of receiving delegations of parliamentary groups;

dd/ The National Assembly Chairperson shall receive foreign ambassadors who pay courtesy or farewell calls at the beginning or the end of their terms or for work requirements. The reception shall also be attended by representatives of the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General or representatives of related parliamentary friendship groups;

e/ The National Assembly Chairperson shall receive delegations of foreign National Assembly Chairpersons or the equivalent on unofficial visits or in transit. The reception shall also be attended by representatives of the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General or representatives of related parliamentary friendship groups.

4. For other external activities of the National Assembly Chairperson, the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in reporting them to the National Assembly Chairperson for consideration and decision.

Section 3. NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VICE CHAIRPERSONS

Article 8. Tasks and powers of National Assembly Vice Chairpersons in external activities

1. To perform external affairs-related tasks as assigned by the National Assembly Chairperson.

2. To put forward requirements and contents of their annual external activities for the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee to summarize and submit them to competent authorities for consideration and decision.

3. To give opinions on contents of annual external activity programs of agencies of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the State Audit Office of Vietnam, the National Assembly General Secretary and the National Assembly Office, and external activities related to the fields under their charge.

4. To preside over external activities, receptions of international delegations, and international conferences and seminars in the fields under their charge when so requested.

Article 9. Tasks and powers of National Assembly Vice Chairpersons in external activities when being authorized by the National Assembly Chairperson

1. To decide to send abroad working visits headed by a Vice Chairperson of the Ethnic Council or a Committee of the National Assembly, the head of an agency under the National Assembly Standing Committee who is not a member of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the head of a National Assembly deputies’ delegation, a deputy head of an agency under the National Assembly Standing Committee, a vice chairperson of the National Assembly Office, a Deputy Secretary General of the National Assembly, a Deputy Auditor General, or a National Assembly deputy.

2. To decide to receive foreign national assemblies’ delegations headed by vice chairpersons of parliamentary committees or holders of lower positions.

3. To decide to allow holders of the posts specified in Clause 1 of this Article to receive orders, medals or titles conferred by foreign countries or international organizations.

4. To give opinions on international cooperation projects of the Ethnic Council, Committees of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the State Audit Office of Vietnam and the National Assembly Office.

5. To give opinions on plans on allocation of annual funds for external activities of agencies of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee and the National Assembly Office before they are submitted to the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration and decision.

6. To represent the National Assembly Chairperson in external activities when authorized by the latter.

Article 10. Process of implementing external activities of National Assembly Vice Chairpersons

1. An overseas working trip shall be organized as follows:

a/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall submit a plan on the delegation’s visit to the National Assembly Vice Chairperson concerned for opinion;

b/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall submit the policy and composition of the delegation to the National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs, the National Assembly Chairperson and competent authorities;

c/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall prepare and submit the political plan of the working trip to the related National Assembly Vice Chairperson;

d/ The National Assembly Office shall prepare a protocol plan based on the political plan of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee and submit it to the related National Assembly Vice Chairperson;

dd/ The delegation shall be composed of 12 members at most, except special cases which shall be decided by the related National Assembly Vice Chairperson.

2. A delegation on official visit shall be received as follows:

a/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall propose the National Assembly Chairperson to appoint a National Assembly Vice Chairperson to take charge of receiving the delegation;

b/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall prepare a political plan and submit it to the National Assembly Vice Chairperson for approval. The National Assembly Office shall prepare a protocol plan based on that political plan and submit it to the National Assembly Vice Chairperson for approval;

c/ The National Assembly Vice Chairperson shall chair the reception of, talks with, and banquet for the delegation.

3. International guests shall be received as follows:

a/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall submit the policy on, and persons attending, the reception of international guests to National Assembly Vice Chairpersons;

c/ Based on the National Assembly Vice Chairpersons’ opinions on the report of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, the National Assembly Office shall prepare for the reception.

Chapter III

EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES OF AGENCIES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, AGENCIES UNDER THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE, THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARY GENERAL, THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OFFICE AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTIES

Article 11. Tasks and powers of agencies of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General, the National Assembly Office and National Assembly deputies in external activities

1. Agencies of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General and the National Assembly Office have the following tasks and powers:

a/ To implement external relations with concerned agencies of foreign national assemblies and other concerned agencies of foreign countries and international organizations in order to study and exchange professional experiences and contribute to enhancing external relations and international cooperation in line with the State’s external affairs policy;

b/ To coordinate with the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee and the National Assembly Office in implementing external relations and international cooperation; to join the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee in performing external information work of the National Assembly.

c/ To proactively put forward proposals on their annual external activity programs;

d/ To appoint their members and civil servants of their assisting departments to participate in external relation activities when so requested;

dd/ To participate in overseeing overseas diplomatic missions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam within the ambit of their tasks and powers. To directly oversee or coordinate with others in overseeing the implementation of the National Assembly Standing Committee’s resolutions on overseas Vietnamese;

e/ Annually, before the year-end National Assembly session, to send a report on external affairs work to the National Assembly Standing Committee and concurrently to the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee for summarization and sending to the National Assembly Office for publishing on the National Assembly’s e-portal. The report must include a list of outgoing and incoming delegations in the year (form 1); a list of holders of posts under the management of the Political Bureau and the Party Secretariat making overseas working trips in the year (form 2); a list of tentative outgoing delegations in the subsequent year (form 3); a list of tentative incoming delegations in the subsequent year (form 4); and a report on outcomes of international conferences and seminars (form 5).

2. National Assembly deputies have the following tasks and powers:

a/ When being invited or requested, to participate in external activities of the Party, State and National Assembly and people-to-people external activities at home and abroad;

b/ For a National Assembly deputy who wishes to participate in external activities in a foreign country in the capacity as National Assembly deputy, to send a report to the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee for the latter to seek opinions from the National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs.

Article 12. Tasks and powers of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee in external activities

1. To implement external relations with foreign national assemblies and international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations under the direction of the National Assembly Standing Committee and National Assembly Chairperson. In the process of implementing specific external activities, when necessary, to propose competent authorities to raise the level of reception and protocol.

2. To put forward matters related to the State’s external policy, relations with foreign national assemblies, international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations and other international organizations.

3. To assume the prime responsibility for formulating external activity programs of the National Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons and members of the Political Bureau and Party Secretariat who work at the National Assembly. To submit to competent authorities reports on external activities of the National Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons and members of the Political Bureau and Party Secretariat who work at the National Assembly. Such reports shall be also sent to the Party Central Committee’s External Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

4. To summarize tentative annual external activity programs of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, and the National Assembly Office for submission to the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration and decision, then report them to the member of the Political Bureau or Party Secretariat in charge of external affairs and the National Assembly Chairperson for approval.

5. To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Party Central Committee’s External Affairs Commission and related agencies in, organizing external activities of the National Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons, members of the National Assembly Standing Committee, and former National Assembly Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons; overseas trips of National Assembly delegations; and reception of foreign national assemblies’ delegations to Vietnam.

6. To act as the focal point in receiving and submitting for approval agencies’ and organizations’ proposals for reception of international guests by the National Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons and former National Assembly Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons.

7. To submit to competent authorities and send to the Party Central Committee’s External Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs documents on the following issues:

a/ Supplementation or adjustment of external activities of the National Assembly Chairperson, for submission to the Political Bureau for consideration and decision;

b/ Supplementation or adjustment of external activities of members of the Political Bureau who work at the National Assembly, for submission to the Party Secretary General for consideration and decision;

c/ Supplementation or adjustment of external activities of the National Assembly Vice Chairpersons, for submission to the National Assembly Chairperson for consideration and decision;

d/ Supplementation or adjustment of external activities of members of the Party Secretariat who work at the National Assembly agencies, for submission to the Permanent Member of the Party Secretariat for consideration and decision.

8. To assist the National Assembly Standing Committee in monitoring, planning and implementing external activities of Vietnam’s parliamentary friendship organizations and parliamentary friendship groups, female parliamentarians’ groups and young parliamentarians’ groups.

Article 13. Tasks and powers of the National Assembly Secretary General in external affairs-related activities.

1. To implement external activities in the capacity as National Assembly Secretary General.

2. To coordinate with agencies of the National Assembly and concerned agencies and organizations in drafting resolutions on external affairs as assigned by the National Assembly or National Assembly Standing Committee.

3. To act as the spokesperson of the National Assembly and National Assembly Standing Committee; to organize the provision of information and press, publishing, library, museum and information technology application activities serving external activities of the National Assembly, agencies of the National Assembly and National Assembly deputies.

4. To perform other tasks and exercise other powers related to external affairs as assigned by the National Assembly Chairperson or National Assembly Standing Committee.

Article 14. Tasks and powers of the National Assembly Office in external affairs-related activities

1. To coordinate with the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, agencies of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee and concerned agencies in implementing external activities of the National Assembly.

2. To assume the prime responsibility for working out and implementing activity programs and protocol, security, logistic and financial activities so as to ensure external activities of the National Assembly satisfy political and professional requirements and comply with general protocol regulations of the State and National Assembly.

3. To advise, serve and coordinate international cooperation activities in order to improve professional skills and enhance external relations through holding conferences and symposia, organizing overseas study tours and holding training and re-training courses to improve capacity for National Assembly deputies and civil servants of the National Assembly Office.

4. To build, manage and update the database on external activities on the e-portal of the National Assembly.

5. To perform other tasks serving external activities as requested by National Assembly leaders.

Article 15. Process of formulating external activity programs

1. In October every year, based on their professional requirements, agencies of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the State Audit Office of Vietnam, the National Assembly Secretary General and the National Assembly Office shall formulate their programs on overseas external activities (enclosed with the tentative number of members of each delegation) for the subsequent year and send them to the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee.

2. The National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall summarize annual external activity programs of agencies of the National Assembly and the National Assembly Secretary General and submit these programs together with its opinions to the National Assembly Standing Committee for approval. On the basis of these programs, the National Assembly Office shall work with the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee in preparing a tentative budget for external activities and submit it to the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration and decision.

3. For unplanned and adjusted planned external activities, the agencies of the National Assembly and the National Assembly Secretary General shall report them to the National Assembly Chairperson for decision after consulting the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee. A report must clearly state the reason why the unplanned activity arises or the planned activity needs to be adjusted; purpose of, and requirements for, the sending or reception of the delegation; status of the delegation; number of members, composition and rank of the head of the delegation; activities; time and venues of these activities; working partners and level of relation; funding sources and other relevant documents and records.

Article 16. Process of implementing external activities

1. The process of sending an outgoing delegation is as follows:

a/ Based on the external activity program approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee, the agency organizing the delegation shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee and the National Assembly Office in, implementing the activity of sending outgoing delegation;

b/ If there is any change in the geographical area and time of activity of the delegation, or an increase in the number of members of the delegation, the agency organizing the delegation shall, in coordination with the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee, report the change to the National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs and the National Assembly Chairperson.

c/ Before sending a delegation to work in a sensitive geographical area or participate in complicated and sensitive external activities, the agency organizing the delegation shall exchange ideas with the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee and, at the same time, closely coordinate with the Vietnamese diplomatic mission in the host country during the visit of the delegation;

d/ The National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall send notes to the embassy of the host country in Vietnam and the Vietnamese embassy in the host country to affirm the time and agenda of the visit;

dd/ The National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall send notes on protocol and logistic activities and coordinate in clearing passport and visa procedures for the delegation; and coordinate with the agency organizing the delegation in preparing a tentative fund for the delegation, if requested;

e/ The agency organizing the delegation shall make a report on the result of the working trip and send it to competent authorities according to regulations. The report shall also be sent to the National Assembly Office for publishing on the e-portal of the National Assembly.

2. The process for receiving an incoming delegation and receiving international guest is as follows:

a/ The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall notify the request of the foreign side to the related agency of the National Assembly;

b/ In case of receiving an incoming delegation, upon receiving the related agency’s agreement to receive the delegation, the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall propose the National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs to consider and decide on the policy and plan on the reception. The National Assembly Office shall work out and implement an protocol plan based on the political plan of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee.

c/ In case of receiving an international guest, the related agency of the National Assembly shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee in, preparing the content of the reception and coordinate with the National Assembly Office in making protocol and logistic preparations for the reception.

3. For routine, unplanned small-scale and non-sensitive external activities or urgent external activities like funerals and weddings, emergency response support; or overseas visits or receiving incoming delegations for emergency medical examination and treatment, agencies of the National Assembly and the National Assembly Secretary General shall notify the activities to the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee and then organize the implementation thereof. When finishing the activities, the implementing agencies shall report their results to the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee for summarization and reporting to the National Assembly leaders.

Chapter IV

RECEIPT, MANAGEMENT AND USE OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE

Article 17. Receipt, management and use of foreign development assistance

The receipt, management and use of foreign development assistance must comply with the laws on conclusion and implementation of international agreements, the state budget, management and use of official development assistance, management and use of foreign non-governmental assistance and other relevant laws.

Article 18. The Coordinating Board for Foreign Development Assistance Management and Use

1. The National Assembly Standing Committee shall form the Coordinating Board which is composed of part-time members to assist the Committee in managing and using foreign development assistance sources at the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, and the National Assembly Office. The Board shall be headed by the National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs and have the National Assembly Office as its permanent body.

2. The Coordinating Board shall assist the National Assembly Standing Committee in coordinating and publicizing the management and use of foreign development assistance sources so as to avoid overlap and bring into full play the effectiveness of assistance in accordance with Vietnam’s law.

Article 19. Making of proposals for receipt of foreign development assistance

1. Annually, based on requirements, tasks and demands for international cooperation, the Ethnic Council, Committees of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General and the National Assembly Office shall make proposals on activities in need of foreign assistance and send such proposals to the Coordinating Board and the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee. A proposal must clearly state the necessity, content, field and scope of cooperation and method of managing and using such assistance sources.

2. The Coordinating Board shall summarize and consider cooperation proposals so as to prevent overlap with other programs and projects of the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General and National Assembly Office; coordinate with and seek opinions from the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee on tentative cooperation activities; and report to the National Assembly Chairperson or the National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs for decision.

3. Based on opinions of the National Assembly Chairperson or the National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs, the Ethnic Council, Committees of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly

Secretary General and the National Assembly Office shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee in, completing the procedures for negotiating and concluding agreements on the assistance.

Article 20. Implementation of programs and projects

1. In December every year, the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General and the National Assembly Office shall send reports on implementation of programs and projects in the year and orientations for activities in the subsequent year to the Standing Body of the Coordinating Board and the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee for summarization and submission to the National Assembly Standing Committee for opinion.

2. Before January 15 every year, the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly, agencies under the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Secretary General and the National Assembly Office which have assistance programs or projects shall send tentative activities of their programs or projects to the Standing Body of the Coordinating Board and the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee for summarization and submission to the National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs for opinion.

Article 21. Finance and accounting regime

1. The counterpart fund of international cooperation projects and programs constitutes an item in the operation budget of the National Assembly. The spending of such counterpart fund must comply with Vietnam’s financial regime and law.

2. The financial regime of each project must comply with the agreement signed with the foreign party and Vietnam’s law.

3. The accounting regime must comply with Vietnam’s law and international standards; accounting statements shall be recognized by independent auditors and sent to concerned Vietnamese agencies as stated in the program and project documents and prescribed in the law.

4. Financial regimes of donors shall be given preference in the application to international cooperation projects.

Chapter V

SOME OTHER PROVISIONS ON EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES

Article 22. Information on external activities

Information on external activities of the National Assembly shall be provided to National Assembly deputies on a periodical basis and published on the media of the National Assembly in accordance with regulations on external information work.

Article 23. Process of holding inter-parliamentary or bilateral international seminars or conferences in Vietnam

1. The National Assembly Standing Committee shall decide to host conferences of international and regional inter-parliamentary organizations in Vietnam.

2. The National Assembly Chairperson shall decide to host or hold inter-parliamentary or bilateral international conferences or seminars which are to be chaired by members of the National Assembly Standing Committee or the National Assembly Secretary General.

3. The National Assembly Vice Chairperson in charge of external affairs shall decide to host or hold inter-parliamentary or bilateral international conferences or seminars, which are to be chaired by a permanent member of an agency of the National Assembly, a leader of an agency under the National Assembly Standing Committee, a Deputy General Secretary of the National Assembly or a Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly Office.

4. Agencies in charge of holding conferences shall coordinate with the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee in preparing and submitting organization plans to competent authorities. Reports on results of conferences and seminars shall be sent to the National Assembly Standing Committee and, at the same time, to the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee for monitoring and summarization and to the National Assembly Office for publishing on the National Assembly’s e-portal.

Article 24. External activities at National Assembly sessions

1. Press conferences after and before a session

The National Assembly Secretary General shall preside over press conferences before and after a session to inform diplomatic corps and domestic and international press and news agencies of the agenda, contents and results of the session.

2. Inviting diplomatic corps to attend a session

The National Assembly Secretary General-National Assembly Office Chairman shall invite diplomatic corps to attend the opening meeting of the session. The National Assembly Secretary General shall coordinate with the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee in consulting the National Assembly Standing Committee on the invitation of diplomatic corps to attend other meetings of the National Assembly.

3. The National Assembly Secretary General shall exchange ideas and reach agreement with the Chairman of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee on the list of international guests to attend plenary meetings of the National Assembly as observers before reporting it to National Assembly Chairperson for decision. When necessary, the chairperson of the meeting shall introduce guests to the National Assembly.

4. Answering to interview questions of foreign press and holding international press conferences

The Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee shall consider and propose opinions on the National Assembly leaders’ answering to interview questions and participation in international press conferences. National Assembly deputies shall take responsibility for the answering to interview questions during National Assembly sessions and while the National Assembly is in recess; if finding necessary, they may consult the Permanent Body of the National Assembly’s External Affairs Committee.