The day before, Deputy PM Phuc attended a lecture on Australia's experiences using methadone for drug detoxification and the role of the community in HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

At a meeting the same day with Paul Lorry, managing director of the Australian coal and mineral company OGL, Mr Phuc praised the company's plan to build a deep water port in the Red River Delta capable of handling ships carrying 100,000 tonnes of coal.

The Vietnamese Government has adopted measures to build thermoelectric power plants using coal imported from the southern provinces and is in favour of a plan to build a general seaport to handle 40 million tonnes of cargo in this region by 2020, Mr Phuc said.

James Burger, the chief of mining exploitation at the Rio Tinto mining group, said if the plan is carried, out his company will pour approximately US$1 billion into building the port under a build-operate (BO) model.

At the meeting with Mr Burger, Deputy PM Phuc spoke highly of Rio Tinto’s plan to invest in Vietnam's mining industry, saying that with its advanced global technology, Rio Tinto can help Vietnam improve and develop its mining industry.