Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh hosted a reception in Hanoi on June 1 for Governor Le Van Hieu and Premier Jay Weatherill of South Australia, expressing her wish to foster bilateral ties in Government, State, National Assembly and people-to-people exchange channels.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (R) receives Governor Le Van Hieu.

The host hailed South Australia as a major economic powerhouse strong in farming, electronic manufacturing and defence industries, saying that it provides opportunities for the two countries, including South Australia, to enhance cooperation.

She asked South Australian authorities to encourage major corporations to invest in Vietnam and assist Vietnamese agricultural firms in navigating the Australian market.

Over 30,000 students in Australia, 1,300 of them in South Australia, serve as a bridge to foster bilateral cultural and education links, she said.

The Vice President wished that the Governor and Premier would push forward Vietnam – South Australia ties across the fields of education-training, labour, tourism and people-to-people exchange.

She hoped that authorities of Australia, and South Australia in particular, provide all possible support for Vietnamese nationals in the country. Currently, nearly 300,000 Vietnamese are living in Australia, including 13,000 in South Australia.

On the occasion, she congratulated Governor Hieu, an Australian of Vietnamese origin, on assuming political position in the government abroad and being the first Asian to be appointed to the role.

The Vietnamese host wished that the Governor would continue further promoting existing bilateral ties and serve as a bridge to connect Vietnamese nationals in the country with the homeland.

Governor Hieu, for his part, said the two sides hold potential of collaboration in agriculture and education.

He added that the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal would facilitate coordination between the two countries.

VNA