Australia’s Queensland considers Vietnam top priority partner

Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh introduces the prospect of Vietnam-Australia relations at the University of Queensland (Photo: VNA)

Sydney (VNA) – Queensland, Australia’s second biggest state, is developing a new international cooperation strategy, which is expected to make Vietnam one of its top five priority partner countries, local officials have unveiled.

Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick, Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner, and Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport Stirling Hinchliffe informed Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh of the plan in meetings held during the Vietnamese diplomat's visit to the state from May 22-25.

Governor of Queensland Jeannette Young lauded the growth of the Vietnam-Australia relations and assessed that with Vietnam's dynamic development strategy and important position and role in the region, the two countries see ample room for cooperation, especially in such new fields as renewable energy, digital transformation, high-tech agriculture and education.

Young said she is committed to pushing for the early restart or signing of new cooperation documents between Queensland and Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang of Vietnam to further deepen collaboration in education, agriculture and tourism within the state’s overall comprehensive cooperation strategy with Vietnamese localities.

Meanwhile, Dick and Justin McGowan, Chief Executive Officer at the Trade and Investment Queensland, told Thanh that the state will upgrade its representative office in HCM City into its trade and investment centre in Southeast Asia.

Furner and Hinchliffe underscored that Queensland considers Vietnam a top priority partner in the region and is determined to synchronously and comprehensively implement the new strategy in the near future.

Queensland leaders expressed their delight at the two sides' plan to launch the first direct route between the state’s capital Brisbane and HCM City in June, expecting the important event to create an impetus for cooperation and people-to-people exchange between Queensland and Vietnam.

For his part, Thanh emphasised the similarities that the two sides should try to tap on, especially in terms of economy, natural resources and human resources.

The ambassador expressed his belief that from the overall growing relationship between the two countries, Queensland will increase investment in Vietnam and attract Vietnamese investment in the state, particularly to prepare for Brisbane’s hosting of the 2032 Summer Olympics.

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh at his meeting with Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport Stirling Hinchliffe (Photo: VNA)

While in Queensland, Thanh had discussions with representatives of the local education and trade - investment ministries, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and three leading universities. He also attended and delivered a congratulatory speech at a banquet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic relations held by the local chapter of the Australia–Vietnam Business Council./.