A banner welcoming the country's important political event installed at the headquarters of the Hanoi People's Council and People's Committee. Photo: VNA  

Overseas Vietnamese in Japan have expressed their high expectations that the upcoming election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 tenure will help shape key policies to drive Vietnam’s development in the new phase.

As the country prepares for the election scheduled for March 15, voters nationwide are getting ready to exercise their civic rights and responsibilities by choosing representatives who will voice the people’s aspirations. Sharing that spirit, Nguyen Duy Anh, Honorary President of the Vietnamese Association in Fukuoka, Japan, has arranged his work to return to Vietnam to cast his ballot in person.

  Nguyen Duy Anh, Honorary President of the Vietnamese Association in Fukuoka, Japan. Photo: VNA  

Talking to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Japan on the threshold of the election, Anh said the election holds a special significance as Vietnam enters a new stage of development.

Reflecting on the performance of the 15th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021–2026 term, he said the past tenure had left many important marks in institutional improvement, socio-economic development, and strengthening the effectiveness of state management.

In a period marked by complex global and regional developments, the NA demonstrated its role as the country’s highest representative body by adopting timely policies to support economic recovery and growth, ensure social welfare, and accelerate institutional reform, digital transformation, science and technology development and international integration, he noted.

At the local level, People’s Councils have strengthened their role in representing the people’s will and aspirations while strengthening oversight and improving governance efficiency, thereby laying an important foundation for the country’s sustainable development in the years ahead, he said.

Anh also noted that the upcoming election is scheduled about two months earlier than usual in order to promptly consolidate key leadership positions in line with the Party’s orientations and practical requirements, reflecting the proactive approach of the Party and State in strengthening the leadership apparatus to ensure stability and continuity in national governance.

As Vietnam enters a new era of development and implements a two-tier local administration model with a more streamlined administrative apparatus, the early consolidation of personnel will help state agencies operate more effectively, paving the way for implementing major orientations set at the 14th National Party Congress, particularly in science and technology, digital transformation, the green economy, and international integration.

Looking ahead, Anh said deputies of the new National Assembly and members of People’s Councils should possess strategic vision, a strong sense of responsibility and close ties with the people, along with renewed mindset and global integration capacity to help shape long-term policies aligned with Vietnam’s development goals to 2030 and vision to 2045.

He also highlighted the growing importance of parliamentary diplomacy amid fast-changing international dynamics, saying that Vietnam should continue playing an active role in regional and global parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

He praised the Vietnamese National Assembly’s external activities during the past term as dynamic and effective, with leaders conducting numerous overseas visits and participating in major international parliamentary forums, including engagements with Japan. These activities, he said, have not only strengthened bilateral relations but also enhanced the stature of Vietnam’s parliamentary diplomacy on the global stage.

Stronger parliamentary channels can help foster trust and create more favourable conditions for cooperation in areas such as economy, education, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

Besides, Anh, who is also Secretary General of the Global Network for Teaching Vietnamese Language and Culture, emphasised the role of overseas Vietnamese communities as natural bridges connecting Vietnam with host countries, noting that closer engagement with the diaspora could further support parliamentary diplomacy.

He observed that by advancing parliamentary diplomacy alongside state and people-to-people diplomacy, Vietnam can better leverage the combined strength of its external relations to support national development in the new phase.

Speaking about his decision to return to Vietnam to vote, he said it was a meaningful choice. He stressed that each ballot not only reflects a citizen’s right but also carries trust and expectations for representatives who will voice the people’s will and help drive the country’s strong development in the new phase./.