As Vietnam and Australia have raised their relationship to the status of strategic partnership, both countries should now step up collaboration in the foundational sectors of economy, trade and investment, security and defence, education and training, and high-tech agriculture, said President Tran Dai Quang.

President Tran Dai Quang (R) and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia Tony Smith

Hosting the reception for Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia Tony Smith in Hanoi on July 24, President Quang spoke highly of the outcomes achieved during the talks held earlier between Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Smith. He agreed with the content of cooperation between the two countries in general, and their legislative bodies in particular, for the time to come.

He underlined that it is necessary for the two countries to facilitate conditions to enhance people-to-people exchange, and coordination in culture, tourism, and sports.

The State leader spoke highly of the education collaboration between both sides, expressing his hope that the Australian Government would continue its support for Vietnam in developing high-quality human resources.

Vietnam will closely work with Australia to carry out the New Colombo Plan, a 100 million USD initiative to increase the number of Australians studying part of their degree in the region to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Asia, and build people-to-people ties, he noticed.

President Quang expressed his wishes that Australia will continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese people community so that they can contribute to the development in each nation as well as the bilateral ties.

Vietnam, in return, will facilitate Australian citizens’ travel, study and investment in the country, he said.

He showed his appreciation of Australia’s official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, saying that the assistance has made positive contributions to the socio-economic development in the country. Cao Lanh bridge, which was inaugurated last May, is a vivid illustration, he noted.

Also, he applauded the close coordination between the two countries at regional and international forums, particularly the United Nations (UN), ASEAN, and ASEAN-led mechanisms.

He thanked Australia for helping Vietnam in successfully organising the APEC Year 2017 and supporting the Southeast Asian nation in its bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN for the 2020-2021 tenure.

President Quang also took the occasion to convey his greetings to Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, and many other Australian leaders.

Smith, for his part, lauded the fruitful cooperation between the two states and parliaments in the past time, especially people-to-people exchanges, stressing that visits made by leaders from both sides had consistently aimed at consolidating political trust and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

Vietnam and Australia have enjoyed sound collaboration in trade, and education and training, he said, adding that the Australian House of Representatives will serve as a bridge to enhance the ties.

Many Australian businesses have gained great success in agriculture, and they want to strengthen their cooperation with Vietnamese partners in the time ahead, he stressed.

Tony Smith began is on his three-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. 

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets Speaker of Australian lower house

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting in Hanoi on July 24 with Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia Tony Smith, who said his country will keep assisting Vietnam in the latter’s development process.

PM Phuc highly valued the Australian parliament leader’s visit to Vietnam, which he said will help enhance the countries’ strategic partnership, including parliamentary relations.

Speaker Smith said his visit this time aims to strengthen ties between the two parliaments, Governments and peoples.

Talking about the recent inauguration of Cao Lanh Bridge in Dong Thap province, he said the Australian-funded facility will not only help improve local people’s life and socio-economic development but is also an important symbol of bilateral ties.

The Australian parliament always wants to step up cooperation with the National Assembly and Government of Vietnam, he said, adding that after this trip, his delegation will convey their good impression of the Southeast Asian nation to the Australian parliament so as to bolster bilateral connections in all aspects.

PM Phuc said amid the thriving strategic partnership, Vietnam is exerting efforts to realise the two countries’ joint statement signed last March. While bilateral trade has been on the rise, the two sides have coordinated closely at regional and international forums for the sake of peace and development.

He wanted the two sides to continue reinforcing substantive cooperation, especially in pillar and potential areas such as economy-trade-investment, security-defence, education-training, science-technology, hi-tech agriculture, and development assistance.

Vietnam is resolved to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) this year and will work closely with Australia to implement this trade pact, he noted.

The PM affirmed that the Vietnamese National Assembly and Government appreciate and want Australia to continue supporting ASEAN and Vietnam’s viewpoint on the East Sea issue, and promoting the serious and full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and efforts to achieve a Code of Conduct in the waters.

Sharing his guest’s view on the significance of Cao Lanh Bridge in the two countries’ cooperation, the host leader said he hopes that Australia will keep supporting Vietnam in such fields as infrastructure, agriculture and rural development, poverty reduction and climate change response.

He appreciated Australia’s continuation of official development assistance for Vietnam, asking both sides to coordinate more closely to successful organise activities marking 45 years of their diplomatic ties and 20 years of defence relations, thereby contributing to the political trust and mutual understanding between leaders and peoples of the two nations.

At the meeting, the Speaker of the Australian lower house expressed his support for PM Phuc’s proposals on intensifying bilateral relations. 

He said there have been thousands of Vietnamese students in Australia while more and more Australian students have come to Vietnam to take part in community activities and explore the country. They serve as an effective bridge helping to deepen mutual understanding between the two peoples. 

Tony Smith affirmed that Australia will continue assisting the development process of Vietnam. It also respects the freedom of navigation, which is a consistent policy the country has advocated in not only Australia or Vietnam but also anywhere else in the world.

The CPTPP is also an important issue for Australia, he said, noting that his country will actively coordinate with Vietnam in this matter so as to help bring common benefits to members of the agreement.

VNA