National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had a meeting with Australia’s Governor-General Peter Cosgrove in Canberra on November 30.

National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan meets with Australia’s Governor-General Peter Cosgrove.

The visiting legislator, who is on an official visit to Australia, said the Vietnamese NA wants to promote the enhanced comprehensive partnership between the two countries and the cooperation between the two parliaments.

Briefing the host about the outcomes of her talks with Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith and Senate President Scott Ryan, she emphasised that the two countries’ relations have been growing rapidly and substantively, especially since the establishment of the comprehensive partnership in 2009 and the signing of a statement on the enhanced comprehensive partnership in March 2015.

Vietnam’s consistent policy is respecting bilateral ties with Australia, she noted, expressing her belief that an official visit to Australia by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc slated for March 2018 will mark a new milestone in the countries’ relationship, which will be lifted to a strategic partnership.

Chairwoman Ngan expressed her delight at the growing bilateral relations, adding that Vietnam will coordinate closely with Australia to organise practical activities marking the 45th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2018.

The two countries boast huge potential for cooperation in many fields, from economy, trade to investment, she noted, noting with satisfaction the growth of bilateral trade to 5.2 billion USD in 2016, which turned Australia into the eighth biggest trade partner of Vietnam.

While Australia has given ODA capital to the fields that match Vietnam’s development targets, cooperation in defence, security, education-training, labour, tourism and people-to-people exchanges have been reinforced.

The NA leader asked the Governor-General and Government of Australia to continue encouraging their country’s enterprises to invest and form business ties with Vietnamese partners.

On this occasion, she thanked the Governor-General and Government for their favourable conditions for Vietnamese people in Australia to stabilise their lives, integrate into the local society, maintain national identities, and contribute to the two countries’ relations.

At the meeting, Governor-General Cosgrove said the expected elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during an upcoming official visit to Australia by PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc is a clear-sighted decision.

He shared his guest’ viewpoint on the two countries’ sound relationship, adding that Vietnam is an important partner of Australia.

Regarding the East Sea issue, he said it is necessary to keep peace, stability, freedom and safety of navigation in the East Sea. All disputes in the East Sea need to be resolved by peaceful means, through dialogue, and in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.-VNA