Australian Governor-General Begins State Visit to Vietnam

Australian Governor-General David Hurley arrives in Hanoi on April 3 afternoon. Photo: VOV

This is the first foreign leader paying a State visit to Vietnam in 2023, and also the first national guest that President Vo Van Thuong has received in his new position. The visit is part of activities in celebration of the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic relations, VietnamPlus reported.

During his visit, Hurley and his entourage will lay wreaths at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs, and President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi; attend an official welcome ceremony; hold talks with President Vo Van Thuong; and have meetings with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

The Vietnamese President and the Governor-General will jointly visit Vietnam's peacekeeping force.

Hurley and his spouse will attend events to mark the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties, and educational and people-to-people exchange activities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; meet alumni who graduated from Australian universities; and visit educational institutions in HCM City.

The visit, which is a prominent milestone in the year celebrating the Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties, is expected to contribute to further strengthening the bilateral relations and the strategic trust between the two countries.

A symbolic importance

The visit is part of activities in celebration of the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic relations. Photo: VOV

The state-level visit to Vietnam Hurley holds a lot of symbolic importance amid the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations, said Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski, as cited by VOV.

In an interview granted to the media, Goledzinowski said it’s the third visit to Vietnam by heads of state of Australia, and he's coming to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. The Governor-General is only the first of a number of important visitors who will come to Vietnam this year.

The Governor-General visit will serve to really amplify that and to consolidate the strategic trust that exists between two countries, at the people-to-people level but also at the highest level, Goledzinowski added.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Dr Suiwah Leung, Honourary Associate Professor at the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy also said the visit will deepen the goodwill and trust for the mutual benefit of both countries.

She said the visit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations are important at the governmental/diplomatic level and supported by those at other levels, adding that in the case of Vietnam and Australia, their relations at the academic level have been highly significant.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Hong Hai, a researcher at the Centre for Policy Futures under the University of Queensland, said the visit is expected to create new momentum for the bilateral ties.

It demonstrates the importance Australia attaches to the milestones, as well as and the consensus in enhancing high-level meetings and contacts, thus consolidating the mutual political trust, he noted.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) meets Governor-General of Australia David Hurley in Australia last year. Photo: VNA

Hurley’s trip is also hoped to contribute to enhancing people-to-people exchange and send a message to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the region at large that Australia pays great attention to its relations with Vietnam and ASEAN.

The message is quite clear – Vietnam holds a special position in Australia’s relations with the region – Hai said, citing former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison as saying during his visit to Vietnam in 2019 that Vietnam was a close friend.

The researcher noted his belief that the visit will contribute to strengthening the bilateral relations and opening up strong cooperation prospects between the two countries, while creating more foundations and momentum for them to soon achieve the goal of advancing the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership this year.

Moreover, the visit would give a boost to collaboration in other spheres like national defence and security, along with innovation, climate change response, energy transition, green energy and green economy, he said./.

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