HCM City (VNA) – A get-together was held in Ho Chi Minh City on January 22 by the HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) to celebrate the 231st anniversary of Australia Day (January 26, showing the friendship and solidarity between the city’s people and their Australian counterparts.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the Vietnam-Australia Friendship Association (VAFA) of HCM City Luong Van Ly stressed that cooperation between the two nations has been on the basis of mutual benefit and respect towards development, peace, and prosperity.

Since the establishment of the comprehensive partnership in September 2009, the bilateral relations have been strengthened and developed across a range of fields in a practical and rapid manner.

Vietnam-Australia relations were officially upgraded to a Strategic Partnership in March 2018, laying the foundation for the two sides to enhance mutual trust and understanding, thus deepening bilateral ties and contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

Ly said the two countries boast great potential to further expand their relations in the coming time.

The VAFA hopes to cooperate with the Australian Consulate General, Australian Business Group, friendship and non-governmental organisations of Australia, and the Australian community in order to promote people-to-people exchange and cultural-sports-tourism collaboration, as well as to tighten the solidarity and friendship between the city’s residents and their Australian people, he said.

Australian Consul General in HCM City Julianne Cowley highlighted the significance of the get-together, saying that it shows the increasing development of relations and closer cooperation between Australia and Vietnam in general and HCM City in particular.

Australia wants to promote multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, especially in education-training, infrastructure development, and agriculture, which are areas that Australia has strengths in and Vietnam holds demand for.

She expressed her hope that the HUFO and VAFA will enhance their cooperation and support the Consulate General in organising activities to boost mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries, thus bringing benefits to their people.

Statistics show that two-way trade between Vietnam and Australia has recorded the annual growth of 7 percent in recent years. Australia is a major provider of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam in reforming the economy, improving competitiveness, and promoting gender equality.–VNA