Law on Countering the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: continuing to thoroughly review and specifically revise each provision to ensure the draft Law is rigorous and feasible
Unofficial translation from the Vietnamese original.
On the morning of 8 August, continuing the plenary debate on the draft Law on Countering the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang affirmed that the Government and the agency leading the drafting would seriously take on board, to the greatest extent possible, the opinions of National Assembly deputies and continue to review and finalise the draft Law to ensure its quality and responsiveness to practical requirements. Concluding the sitting, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Colonel General Nguyen Doan Anh commended the consensus among the deputies and requested the agencies concerned to urgently finalise the Report on the reception and explanation of opinions for submission to the National Assembly Standing Committee and the National Assembly for consideration and adoption as prescribed.
General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, speaks to explain and clarify a number of issues raised by National Assembly deputies
Studying and finalising the draft Law to ensure it is rigorous, feasible and responsive to practical requirements
On behalf of the Government and the agency leading the drafting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang sincerely thanked the National Assembly deputies for taking the time to study the dossier of the draft Law on Countering the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction carefully, and for discussing it and contributing many dedicated, in-depth and responsible opinions in the group discussions and in the plenary hall.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence stated that, through the group and plenary discussions, the National Assembly deputies basically agreed on the necessity of promulgating the Law, while recommending further clarification of a number of core elements of the draft Law, focusing on: the interpretation of terms and concepts, the scope of regulation, management and control measures, the protection of the lawful rights and interests of organisations and individuals, and the responsibilities of the National Focal Point and the relevant ministries and sectors.
General Phan Van Giang stated that, on the basis of the opinions of National Assembly deputies in the group discussions, the Ministry of National Defence, as the agency leading the drafting, had worked with the relevant agencies to study and prepare a draft Report on the reception and explanation of opinions, and to review and propose revisions to the draft Law. The opinions expressed in the plenary hall will continue to be an important basis for the agency leading the drafting to study and finalise the draft Law, ensuring that it is rigorous, feasible and responsive to practical requirements.
“The Government and the agency leading the drafting sincerely acknowledge and will seriously take on board the opinions of the National Assembly deputies, continue to review thoroughly and revise each provision specifically, ensuring that the draft Law is rigorous, feasible, consistent with the legal system, compatible with the international treaties to which Vietnam is a party and responsive to practical requirements”, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang emphasised.
General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, speaks to explain and clarify a number of issues raised by National Assembly deputies
Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Hong and National Assembly deputies
Enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of management without creating duplicate procedures, licences, reporting regimes or compliance obligations
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence also stated that the process of taking on board opinions and revising the text will consistently observe 3 requirements:
First, ensuring national defence and security without hindering lawful civilian activities, production, business, scientific research and innovation.
Second, enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of management without creating duplicate procedures, licences, reporting regimes or compliance obligations.
Third, setting out clearly in the Law itself the matters directly related to rights, obligations, grounds, competence, time limits and the limits on the application of measures, and not delegating detailed regulation in a way that expands powers or restricts rights beyond the scope provided for by law.
General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, speaks to explain and clarify a number of issues raised by National Assembly deputies
Deputies strongly agree on the necessity of promulgating the Law
Concluding the debate, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Colonel General Nguyen Doan Anh stated that the opinions expressed all had sound political, legal and practical grounds and demonstrated the high sense of responsibility of the National Assembly deputies towards the draft Law.
Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Colonel General Nguyen Doan Anh delivers the concluding remarks of the debate
Through the discussion, the deputies strongly agreed on the necessity of promulgating the Law and commended the sense of responsibility of the Government, the Ministry of National Defence, the Committee for National Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs and the agencies of the National Assembly in coordinating closely to prepare a draft Law and Verification Report of assured quality. At the same time, the deputies analysed and argued many issues in great detail and requested the drafting agency to continue studying and clarifying them.
Following the sitting, the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly requested the Secretary General of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Office of the National Assembly to urgently direct the compilation of the opinions of National Assembly deputies and send them to the agencies concerned for study, reception, revision and finalisation of the draft Law. He requested the Government to direct the Ministry of National Defence to take the lead, in coordination with the Standing Board of the Committee for National Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs and the relevant ministries and sectors, in studying, taking on board opinions and revising the draft Law; to fully and thoroughly explain the opinions of deputies expressed in the group discussions and at this sitting; and to finalise the draft Law and the Report on the explanation, reception and revision for submission to the National Assembly Standing Committee for its opinions.
Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Colonel General Nguyen Doan Anh delivers the concluding remarks of the debate
On the basis of the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Government will direct the Ministry of National Defence to coordinate with the Standing Board of the Committee for National Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs in studying, taking on board opinions, revising and finalising the draft Law, and in finalising a quality Report on the reception, explanation and revision of the draft Law, in a spirit of full reception, persuasive explanation and broad consensus, for submission to the National Assembly for consideration and adoption in Phase 2 in accordance with the session programme./.
Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Colonel General Nguyen Doan Anh delivers the concluding remarks of the debate
Further images from the Standing Group explaining the opinions of National Assembly deputies at the sitting on the morning of 8 August 2026 on the Law on Countering the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction:
