Vietnam-Australia ties to further flourish: Expert

PM Pham Minh Chinh and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Sydney (VNA) – The official Vietnam visit by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been a success, a sign that bilateral relationship will continue to flourish in the future, said co-founder of the Australia-Vietnam Policy Institute Layton Pike.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency in Sydney, Pike said the visit was highly successful in highlighting key aspects of bilateral relationship, such as education, trade, security, as well as cooperation in areas like clean energy and skilled workers.

He reiterated that Albanese emphasised Australia's desire to enhance cooperation with Vietnam to address the shortage of skilled workers in Australia, considering it a top priority.

According to him, the continued deepening of strategic partnership contents towards new heights in the future is a clear indication that the Australia-Vietnam ties are thriving and growing stronger.

Pike expressed his delight at stronger bilateral ties in various areas, especially in addressing security challenges and climate change in the future, and highlighted Australia will assist Vietnam in its energy transition with a support package of 105 million AUD (69.9 million USD), enabling sustainable development planning, clean energy expansion, and mining, and expanded support for Vietnam in agriculture. This demonstrates the momentum of bilateral relationship for the coming years.

Speaking highly of the inauguration of the Business Connectivity and Innovation Centre at RMIT University in Hanoi, he said he believes that the centre will enable communities, Government agencies, organisations and businesses in Hanoi to boost cooperation in serving development priorities, including smart and sustainable city initiatives, regional collaboration, emerging technologies, and social innovation.

Pike added he is also impressed with how PM Albanese mingled in Vietnamese culture and customs and had a great time during his visit. According to him, all of these contribute to deepening personal connections between the two countries’ leaders and strengthening the overall bilateral ties. Furthermore, the opportunity to enjoy bia hoi (draft beer) and banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) also offered him a chance to highlight the importance of Australia’s exports such as barley and wheat flour used in the production of beer and bread in Vietnam, among other products.

From a broader perspective, he said strengthening Australia's relationship with Vietnam is also an important part of PM Albanese's commitment to rebuilding Australia's ties with Southeast Asian countries./.