Vietnam and Australia established diplomatic relations on February 26, 1973. To effectively implement cooperation, the two countries upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive partnership in 2009 and an enhanced comprehensive partnership in 2015. Building on the achievements recorded, the two sides upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2018. After nearly half a century, the bilateral relationship is becoming stronger and gaining greater achievements.

PARTNERSHIP FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY

In recent years, the political relationship between the two countries has become closer and more trustworthy through the maintenance of delegation exchanges and meetings at all levels. Bilateral cooperation mechanisms, such as foreign and defence ministerial meetings, have been implemented flexibly, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vietnamese high-ranking leaders all emphasise the wish to incessantly cement and develop the relationship with Australia - Vietnam’s strategic partner in the South Pacific. The Australian side regards Vietnam as an important partner in ASEAN and the region, and always attaches importance to developing the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The parliamentary cooperation has developed well, making an important contribution to the overall relationship between the two countries. Over the recent years, the two countries exchanged information in the field of legislation, supervision and decisions on important national issues, while agreeing to jointly strengthen coordination in urging, promoting and supervising the ministries, agencies, localities and enterprises, during their implementation of agreements signed by the two nations.

Trade cooperation has become a bright spot in the bilateral relationship between the two countries. Bilateral trade turnover surpassed 10 billion USD for the first time to reach 12.4 billion USD in 2021. In the first nine months of 2022, their bilateral trade turnover reached 12 billion USD, up 31.5% over the same period last year.

Australia has always provided Vietnam with a stable source of official development assistance (ODA). During the 2019-2020 period, Australia spent more than 78 million AUD supporting Vietnam in many areas, such as economic reform, gender equality and livelihood improvement. According to the budget for the fiscal year 2022-2023, Australia increased ODA for Vietnam up to 92.8 million AUD, compared with the level of 78.9 million AUD in the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

The two countries have provided each other with timely and valuable cooperation and support, in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Vietnam's second largest COVID-19 vaccine donor, Australia assisted more than 26.4 million doses of vaccines, including 14.4 million for children. The assistance from Australia has helped Vietnam speed up the vaccination campaign and return to normal, focusing on economic recovery and development. In response to this valuable support, Vietnam also gave medical supplies worth 50,000 USD to Australia.

The cooperation in the fields of defence-security, education-training, agriculture and labour has been boosted actively.

With more than 350,000 people, the Vietnamese in Australia is a large community that has made positive contributions to the host country. In addition to the development of the community, more and more organisations and unions of Vietnamese people in Australia have been established over the past years, gathering many intellectuals and entrepreneurs. They have maintained practical activities towards the homeland while making effective contributions to the development of bilateral relations.

For multilateral cooperation, Vietnam and Australia coordinate well and support each other at international, regional and sub-regional forums, such as the United Nations, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). At inter-parliamentary forums, such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), the two sides also strengthen exchanges and close coordination, on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Vietnam and Australia both participate in new-generation free trade agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The close coordination between the two sides to effectively implement these agreements will contribute to enhancing trade cooperation between the two sides and at the same time, promoting regional economic integration.

NEW FEATURES OF COOPERATION

Looking forward to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and five years of Strategic Partnership in 2023, Vietnam and Australia are actively coordinating to prepare commemorative activities, including organising high-level visits, cultural activities, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. To celebrate this important milestone, the two sides are also stepping up cooperation, contributing to lifting the two countries relations to a new height.

There is still plenty of room for Vietnam and Australia to further develop cooperation in all channels and fields. The two sides are making efforts to effectively implement signed important cooperation documents, including Vietnam and Australia's Plan of Action for the Strategic Partnership from 2020 to 2023 and Australia - Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES).

In the context that the two countries have reopened since the beginning of 2022, the two sides believe that it is necessary to promote trade and investment cooperation based on taking advantage of and potentials of the two countries, including expanding markets according to free trade agreements and further facilitating goods access to each other's markets. Cooperation in education-training, culture and tourism should be promoted, thereby further consolidating people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Besides the traditional fields of cooperation, the two sides have actively researched and proposed the expansion of cooperation in new and potential fields, such as climate change combat, and green and sustainable growth.