Australian foreign minister hopes for stronger ties with Vietnam

Sydney (VNA) - Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne on December 3 expressed her delight at the positive development of the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership, considering this a firm foundation for the two countries to elevate bilateral ties to a new high.

At a reception in the Australian capital Canberra for Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh, Payne stressed that Vietnam and Australia have become important partners in various spheres, ranging from trade and agriculture to science and technology, national defence and security, education and training, and people-to-people exchanges.

She used the occasion to congratulate Vietnam on excellently fulfilling its role as ASEAN Chair 2020 and its success in containing COVID-19.

The minister urged the ambassador to make more practical contributions to bilateral relations so that the two countries will soon become leading economic partners.

Payne affirmed that she and her department will closely coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to comprehensively promote bilateral cooperation.

The first job is to realise the 2020-2023 action programme on the implementation of the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership, soon complete the enhanced economic engagement strategy, materialise multilateral agreements to which both countries are signatories, and seek new agreements to boost economic links post-COVID-19.

For his part, Thanh expressed his honour at becoming the Vietnamese ambassador to Australia, especially in the context of the two countries striving to advance the bilateral relationship towards celebrations of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023.

He conveyed an invitation from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh to the Australian minister to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time./.