Determined to develop Vietnam-Australia relations more strongly in the new period

President Luong Cuong and Governor-General of Australia said that defense and security cooperation is an important pillar in bilateral cooperation and agreed to further expand effective cooperation in this field.

President Luong Cuong and Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn hold talks. (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA)

On the afternoon of September 10, after the State-level welcoming ceremony solemnly held at the Presidential Palace, President Luong Cuong held talks with Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

On behalf of the State and people of Vietnam, President Luong Cuong warmly welcomed the Governor-General, his spouse and the Australian delegation to their State visit, especially right after Vietnam solemnly celebrated the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2; thanked the Australian Governor-General for his good wishes to the senior leaders of Vietnam and the President personally; and congratulated Australia on its solid achievements in economic development, improving social welfare and promoting its role and position in the region and the world.

Governor-General of Australia Sam Mostyn expressed his delight at his first State visit to Vietnam as the 28th Governor-General; shared his impressions of Vietnam's remarkable development in a short time; thanked the President, his wife and the State of Vietnam for their warm and respectful welcome; and congratulated Vietnam on its outstanding achievements in recent times, especially in maintaining high GDP growth and socio-economic development.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn affirmed that Australia has always been a reliable and sustainable partner of Vietnam, always accompanying, supporting and assisting Vietnam in implementing reforms to achieve the goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045.

President Luong Cuong and members of the Vietnamese delegation at talks with Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn. (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA)

The two sides considered the upgrading of the relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024 to be a historic step, demonstrating strategic trust as well as the strong determination of the two sides in further developing the bilateral relationship in the new period. The ministries and branches of the two sides are implementing the Action Program to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the period 2024-2027 on schedule, especially regularly implementing consultation and dialogue mechanisms.

The two countries are major trade partners with a trade turnover of over 14 billion USD by 2024, the number of tourists from both sides has increased steadily over the years and there are currently 56 round-trip flights/week between the two countries. Australian businesses have been and are being facilitated to develop investment and business in Vietnam. Vietnam has actively become a bridge for Australia to strengthen its links with the Southeast Asian region, contributing to promoting the Australia-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and substantive cooperation between Australia and the Mekong Sub-region.

The two sides agreed to continue to maintain the momentum of delegation exchanges and contacts at high and all levels, through all Party, State, National Assembly channels and cooperation between localities to enhance information sharing, consolidate political trust and mutual understanding, and create a foundation for bilateral cooperation in many fields.

The President and Governor-General of Australia considered defense and security cooperation an important pillar in bilateral cooperation and agreed to further expand effective cooperation in this field. Australia will continue to support Vietnam in training officers and participating in UN peacekeeping operations, especially in helping to transport field hospitals to the Vietnamese mission in South Sudan.

President Luong Cuong highly appreciated and acknowledged Australia's effective support through many initiatives such as the Human Resources Development Program, cooperation through the Vietnam-Australia Center located at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, implementing training programs to improve leadership capacity, promoting gender equality, building effective public governance models and developing human rights education in Vietnam.

The President proposed that Australia continue to support Vietnam in training high-ranking leaders at the central and local levels, especially in training teachers and lecturers, connecting training programs between the two countries, promoting cooperation and experience exchange between training institutions, and enhancing cooperation between research institutions and leading universities of the two countries.

The Australian Governor-General highly appreciated the important contributions of the community of about 350,000 Vietnamese people in Australia and nearly 40,000 Vietnamese students studying and researching in Australia; emphasizing that deep people-to-people exchange is a solid foundation of bilateral relations.

The two sides agreed to further strengthen measures to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, aiming for a trade turnover of 20 billion USD and doubling bilateral investment in the coming years; increasing market access for each other's strong products. Vietnam hopes to welcome stronger investment flows from Australian businesses based on Australia's economic connectivity initiatives with the Southeast Asia region, including the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn speaks at talks with President Luong Cuong. (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA)

The two sides also agreed to encourage research facilities and scientists from both countries to cooperate in building joint research projects, especially in strategic technology fields such as artificial intelligence, new materials, biomedical technology, etc.

The two leaders agreed to continue close coordination at international and regional forums, especially at the United Nations, ASEAN-led mechanisms as well as Mekong Sub-region development cooperation and APEC cooperation.

Australia continues to closely coordinate and support the principled stance of Vietnam and ASEAN in ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea; and resolving disputes by peaceful means on the basis of respect for international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982)./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/quyet-tam-dua-quan-he-viet-nam-australia-phat-trien-manh-me-hon-trong-giai-doan-moi-post1061103.vnp