Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with a number of top Australian enterprises on March 17 during his ongoing visit to the country.

Meeting with representatives from Telstra, Australia’s largest phone service provider, PM Dung said Vietnam is carrying out equitisation of several telecoms companies beginning with Mobifone. He welcomed the conglomerate’s interest in investing in Mobifone’s shares and suggested the two should examine the idea together.

The Prime Minister also supported the cooperation between the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group and Rio Tinto, one of the world’s leading mining corporations. The pair will collaborate in upgrading an Aluminium factory and improving the productivity of bauxite exploitation in Vietnam.

At the reception with Santos, a major company in oil and gas exploration and production, Prime Minister Dung suggested the company study demand in Vietnam for liquefied natural gas and prospects for investment in other fields.

When receiving representatives from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, he declared Vietnam consistently provides favourable conditions for foreign investors in the banking sector and looks to continue working with international organisations in technical assistance and human resources training in this field.

At the meeting with the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ), he urged the bank to expand its operations in Vietnam and expressed his belief in the significant contributions resulting from its financial services to the country’s socio-economic development and to enhanced trade between Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand.

PM Dung also encouraged Origin Energy, Australia’s leading integrated energy company, to consider investment in Vietnam.-VNA