Vietnam Ambassador to Australia presents credentials

He affirmed Vietnam's readiness to welcome Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull to the country to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November in the central city of Danang. 

He asked for concerted preparations for the Australia visit by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit scheduled for March 2018, considering it an important milestone in the year marking the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. 

Praising the Declaration on Enhancing the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership issued in 2015 and the Vietnam-Australia Action Programme for 2016-2019, Nam pledged his best efforts to enhance ties between the two countries in his new position, bilaterally and multilaterally as well as work closely with Vietnamese and Australian agencies to prepare for high-level visits and events in localities during 2018. 

Cosgrove, for his part, said wants to further develop ties on bilateral aspect and regional and global issues of shared concern, towards elevating bilateral comprehensive partnership to a greater height for the sake of peace, stability and prosperity in Asia-Pacific. 

Australia is currently one of Vietnam’s leading economic partners and importers with two-way trade reaching nearly US$6 billion in 2016. Meanwhile, Vietnam provides the largest source of students for Australia among ASEAN member states with more than 30,000 people. 

The two countries have actively negotiated cooperation agreements and regional and global economic linkage mechanisms such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. 

Vietnam and Australia have worked effectively at regional and global forums, particularly the East Asia Summit (EAS), the APEC, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM ), the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), and the United Nations forums.