National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thien Nhan, were present at the gathering, among others.

Ha Ngoc Chien, Head of the National Assembly’s Ethnic Affairs Council, said through the NA’s terms, 49 out of the 53 ethnic minority groups have had representatives in the law-making body.

Only the Lu, Ngai, Brau and O du ethnic minority groups have yet to be present in the NA, Chien said.

The percentage of ethnic minority deputies in the NA has risen significantly, ranging from 15-18% of the total number of deputies. The figure stood at 17.4% at the 14th NA.

Addressing the meeting, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan congratulated the 86 ethnic minority deputies and expressed her hope that they will work together with other deputies to perform the functions and tasks of the NA and its related committees.

She asked the deputies to play a responsible role in the implementation of socio-economic development projects and programmes relating to mountainous, border and ethnic minority-inhabited areas.