The visits will mark Mr. To Lam's first official trip to Australia and New Zealand since assuming his current positions.

Vietnam regards Australia as a trusted friend and an important Comprehensive Strategic Partner with significant potential and an increasingly influential role in the region. The two countries also share a range of strategic interests.

All six priority areas under the 2024-2027 Action Plan for implementing the Vietnam–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership are progressing on schedule, with approximately 96% of the plan already completed.

The two countries are pursuing measures aimed at increasing bilateral trade to US$20 billion while doubling two-way investment.

Australia has expanded market access for a number of Vietnamese agricultural products, including lychees, mangoes, dragon fruit, longan, passion fruit and frozen shrimp. Vietnam, in turn, has increased imports of Australian fruit.

Australia also remains one of Vietnam's largest bilateral providers of non-refundable official development assistance (ODA).

Earlier this year, Australia announced nearly A$100 million (approximately US$65 million) in development assistance for Vietnam for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, with priority areas including science and technology, skills development, workforce training and climate change adaptation.

Education continues to be one of the strongest pillars of bilateral cooperation.

With more than 37,000 Vietnamese students, Vietnam is Australia's fifth-largest source of international students.

Long-standing partnership with New Zealand

Vietnam and New Zealand have maintained diplomatic relations since 1975, despite the geographical distance between the two countries.

The two governments are actively implementing the 2025-2030 Action Plan for their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across five priority areas.

Both countries have agreed on measures aimed at increasing bilateral trade to US$3 billion.

Vietnam's major exports to New Zealand include footwear, furniture, ceramics, computers, electronic products and components, seafood, coffee and cashew nuts.

Imports from New Zealand include agricultural products, wood pulp, chemicals, iron and steel.

New Zealand is also an important provider of official development assistance to Vietnam, with support increasing steadily over the years.

Its assistance focuses primarily on human resource development, agriculture, education and training, and climate change adaptation.

New Zealand also offers a significant number of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for Vietnamese students and scientific and technical professionals.

Currently, around 1,700 Vietnamese students are studying in New Zealand.

Tran Thuong