Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) hosts a reception for visiting Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Government Office, Ha Noi, November 11, 2021. (Photo: VGP)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on November 9 hosted a reception for visiting Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women Marise Payne, who is on a working visit to Vietnam.

The two sides agreed to maintain and promote the exchange of delegations and all-level meetings, implement existing cooperation mechanisms in a flexible manner and effectively carry out the Vietnam-Australia action plan for 2020-2023, and the Vietnam - Australia Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES) so as to soon double the two-way trade, towards becoming one of the 10 trading partners of each other, according to VNA.

PM Chinh spoke highly of the positive development of the Vietnam-Australia relations, noting that despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic two-way trade turnover in the first nine months of 2021 still grew more than 50% year on year to US$9.1 billion.

In addition, Australia has maintained high official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, reaching AUD78.9 million in the 2021-2022 financial year.

He suggested that Australia provide continued ODA for Vietnam and consider opening its Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products market. At the same time, he requested Australia to implement an agricultural visa program for Vietnamese workers, and encourage enterprises of the two countries to invest and do business in their respective markets.

Chinh thanked Australia’s commitments to donating 5.2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines and medical supplies to Vietnam and expected that the Morrison government will continue to assist Vietnam with pandemic control and economic recovery, enhance the country’s capacity to address climate change challenges, and train quality human resources, according to VOV.

Minister Payne says Australia wants to raise its strategic partnership with Vietnam to a new level. (Photo: VOV)

Highlighting the outcomes of the third Vietnam-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Chinh said it demonstrates the two countries' resolve to boost the strategic partnership.

For her part, Payne affirmed Australia gives priority to cooperation with Viet Nam in such fields as infrastructure development, agriculture, poverty reduction, and climate change adaptation. She said her country highly values Viet Nam’s position on the South China Sea and supports peaceful settlement of international disputes on the basis of abiding by the principles of international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Payne also announced that Australia will share additional 2.6 million Covid-19 vaccine doses with Viet Nam, bringing the total doses offered by Australia to 7.8 million.

She highly valued Viet Nam’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 at the 26^th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26), according to VGP.

The two sides also agreed to promote cooperation to maximize opportunities in the fields of digital transformation, innovation, economic restructuring, green growth among others in the context of the pandemic.

PM Pham Minh Chinh suggested both countries continue supporting each other over issues related to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

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