Vietnam and Australia should promote economic, trade and investment linkage as well as accelerate the implementation of their action programme for 2010-2013.

The two countries should also need to increase exchanges of delegations at all levels, said Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard at their meeting in Canberra on April 10.

They expressed satisfaction of seeing significant wide-ranging developments in the two countries’ ties in recent time.

Deputy PM Phuc welcomed Australia’s consideration of Vietnam as one of its prioritised nations in Asia while PM Gillard described the Vietnamese guest’s visit as an important event in bilateral relationship.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed regional and international issues of common concern, sharing the same view on the need to maintaining peace, stability and cooperation in the East Sea.

The East Sea issue needs to be solved on the basis of respecting international laws, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, they said.

They affirmed to continue cooperating and closely working at regional and international fora, and supporting each other’s bids to run for UN agencies.

Also the same day, Deputy PM Phuc had meetings with Australian health and legal experts to share experience in fighting HIV/AIDS and other social issues.

Earlier, the Deputy PM had working sessions with Commander of the Australian Federal Police Toni Negus, Minister of Trade and Competitiveness and acting Foreign Minister Craig Emerson, and Health Minister Tania Plibersek.

He witnessed the signing of an extradition agreement between the two countries and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Vietnam ’s Ministry of Justice and Australia’s Attorney General.

Deputy PM Phuc is on an official visit to Australia from April 9-14 at the invitation of Deputy PM and Treasurer Wayne Swan./.