Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always values thepromotion of friendly relations and strategic partnership with Australia, a long-standingtraditional partner and one of the countries forming comprehensive strategic partnershipwith ASEAN, President Vo Van Thuong told Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski duringa reception in Hanoi on March 17.
PresidentThuong thanked Australia for being the second largest donor of COVID-19vaccines to Vietnam with 26.4 million doses, thus helping the country driveback the pandemic and recover socio-economic development.
He saidtwo-way trade between the two countries hit 16.1 billion USD last year. With579 projects worth nearly 1.98 billion USD, Australia ranked 20th out of 139 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. During the 2022-2023fiscal year, Australia increased the supply of official development assistanceto Vietnam by 18% and assisted the country in development cooperation projects,especially in improving livelihoods and clean water supply. In particular,Australia assisted Vietnam in United Nations peacekeeping missions.
Speakinghighly of the Australian Government’s scholarship programmes, Thuong said a numberof Australian educational establishments have contributed to the training ofVietnamese management officials.
Thehost suggested enhancing collaboration in fields of each country’s strengthsuch as climate change, environment, agriculture and tourism to match bilateralstrategic partnership.
Vietnamwill actively fight corruption, fine-tune laws, create the best businessenvironment to attract more foreign investors, including those from Australia,he said.
Goledzinowski, for his part, said 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and he will actively contribute tobilateral relationship.
He proposed further coordination in UN peacekeeping missions,national defence-security, personnel training, climate change and use ofrenewable energy.
The guest wished to receive support from the Vietnameseministries and agencies in Australia’s investment projects in the country.
As mining is Vietnam’s strength while Australia has moderntechnology, he wished to reinforce bilateral cooperation in this field to raisetwo-way trade./.
Vietnam, Australia enjoy fruitful strategic partnership: expert
Vietnam and Australia have reached the targets set in the action plan for implementing the strategic partnership in the 2020 - 2023 period despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Dr Nguyen Hong Hai from the Centre for Policy Futures at the University of Queensland of Australia.