The visit was made in the context that Vietnam and Australia are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Vietnam – Australia diplomatic ties (1973-2023) and their strategic partnership has developed in a strong, practical and effective manner. The two countries’ political relations have been increasingly trusting through high-level visits and meetings at all levels. During the COVID-19 pandemic, senior leaders of the two nations hosted online exchanges.
The bilateral cooperation mechanisms have been maintained and carried out flexibly, especially important mechanisms, such as the annual meetings between the two Prime Ministers, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Ministers of Defence, the Economic Partnership Meeting, Security Dialogue, and Strategic Dialogue at the Deputy Ministerial level. Cooperation documents, including the action plan for implementing the strategic partnership in the 2020 - 2023 period, have been actively implemented and achieved many important results.
Despite the impacts of the pandemic, Vietnam and Australia have made great efforts and outstanding progress in economic cooperation. Australia is now Vietnam’s 7th largest trading partner and Vietnam is the 10th largest trading partner of Australia. Australia ranks 20th out of 141 countries and territories having investments in Vietnam.
The two countries have continued their practical and effective cooperation in security and defence, through the exchanges of delegations, cooperation in crime prevention, exchange of information and experiences, and signing of agreements, including the field of peacekeeping. The Royal Australian Navy has assisted in transporting Vietnam's field hospital to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan.
Taking place in the year marking the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (February 26, 1973) and the 5th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership (March 15, 2018), the State visit by Governor-General of Australia David Hurley to Vietnam, affirmed that Australia always appreciates and wishes to strengthen relations with Vietnam.
Cooperation in the fields of education-training, labour, agriculture, tourism, etc., has been actively developed and has great potential. As one of the leading bilateral partners, Australia has been maintaining stable official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam. Australia is the second largest COVID-19 vaccine donor and has actively supported Vietnam in the vaccination campaign. Australia has been also offering many long-term and short-term scholarships for Vietnamese students.
Vietnam and Australia have been closely cooperating on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea/South China Sea issue, as well as coordinating well with each other at multilateral organisations, forums and free trade agreements, in which both countries participate, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Taking place in the year marking the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (February 26, 1973) and the 5th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership (March 15, 2018), the State visit by Governor-General of Australia David Hurley to Vietnam, affirmed that Australia always appreciates and wishes to strengthen relations with Vietnam. The visit contributes to strengthening political trust and promoting multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, especially deepening economic cooperation, as well as expanding cooperation to potential fields, such as climate change adaptation, digital transformation, energy transformation, human resource training and technology transfer.
Welcoming the Governor-General of Australia, Vietnam affirmed its consistent policy of attaching importance to and wishing to develop the Vietnam-Australia Strategic Partnership in a substantive and effective development. The visit continued to affirm the 13th Party Congress’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, diversification and multi-lateralisation of external relations.
May Governor-General of Australia David Hurley’s State visit to Vietnam be a great success, contributing to evaluating the Vietnam-Australia Strategic Partnership to a new stage of development, in a deep, practical and effective manner, towards making great contributions to the stability, cooperation and development of the region and the world.
