PM encourages stronger parliamentary links between Vietnam and Australia

Chinh, who is paying an official visit to Australia, noted that over the past half century, the Vietnam - Australia relationship has continuously developed strongly, practically and effectively in all channels. Parliamentary cooperation between the two countries has also yielded positive results, especially following Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s visit to Australia in late 2022.

He expressed his hope that cooperation between the two countries’ legislative bodies, as well as the two countries’ Parliamentary Friendship Groups would continue to be strengthened, through the exchange of delegations, mutual support and experience sharing.

The PM proposed that the legislative bodies of the two countries continue to concretize the signed agreements, support and monitor the implementation of commitments between the two Governments, and realize the Vietnam - Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

He also proposed that the two sides add new growth drivers such as digital economy, green economy, circular economy, sharing economy, along with renewing existing growth drivers on investment, export, and consumption. He expected that Australia would continue to provide scholarships to Vietnamese students, and introduce more open policies on labour and visas for Vietnamese people doing business and living in their host country.

The PM proposed that Australia consider and recognize the Vietnamese community living in Australia as an ethnic minority group.

He thanked Australia for supporting Vietnam in post-war recovery and socio-economic development, especially in providing official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam, and most recently donating COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies to Vietnam during the height of the pandemic.

The Vietnamese Government leader also congratulated Australia on successfully organizing a special summit commemorating 50 years of ASEAN-Australia relations as well as its post-pandemic socio-economic development achievements. He expected that Australia would continue to record even greater achievements to build an increasingly prosperous nation with an increasingly high role and position in the international arena.

Claydon highly appreciated Vietnam’s contributions to Australia - ASEAN relations, especially to the success of the recent ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. She said she welcomes the lifting of the Vietnam-Australia relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership and the Australian House of Representatives looks forward to implementing the new cooperation framework, including promoting cooperation between the two Parliamentary Friendship Groups in particular and the two legislative bodies in general.

The Australian MP said that Vietnam and Australia share many common interests, for the development of each country and for security, safety, stability, and development in the region, especially in areas such as disease prevention, socio-economic development, education-training, zero net emissions reduction, energy conversion, and offshore wind power development.

She expressed her belief that the lifting of the partnership would take Australia – Vietnam relations to new heights.

The same day, PM Pham Minh Chinh met with Sue Lines, speaker of the Australian Senate. He said his visit demonstrates Vietnam’s desire to join Australia in further consolidating and deepening the relationship between the two countries, as well as strengthening the close cooperation between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the Australian Parliament, contributing to opening up new prospects for cooperation in the coming time.

Lines for her part highly appreciated the lifting of the Vietnam – Australia relationship to the comprehensive strategic partnership, and expected to deepen the new cooperation framework in future.

She revealed that she would soon visit Vietnam to implement the cooperation agreement between the two countries’ legislative bodies signed during Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s visit to Australia in late 2022.

The two sides agreed to further tighten people-to-people diplomacy, cooperate in climate change response, and open direct flights to expand cooperation in education, training, and tourism. They also shared experiences on issues of mutual concern such as gender equality, support for disadvantaged groups, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.