Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh and the University's leaders at the seminar held by the University of Sydney on September 21. Photo courtesy of the Sydney Vietnam Institute

The University of Sydney in Australia has set up the Sydney Vietnam Institute with a view to further promoting its cooperation with leading educational and research establishments of Vietnam and contributing to relations between the two countries, VNA reported.

Addressing a seminar held by the university on September 21, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh affirmed that the Southeast Asian nation always welcomes Australian universities to join in and expand partnerships with its universities and research facilities.

He highlighted the two countries’ flourishing relations, noting that last year, Vietnam and Australia approved a strategy for enhancing economic cooperation which has opened up many new opportunities in key areas, including agriculture, energy, services, digital economy, and education.

The diplomat welcomed the University of Sydney’s establishment of the Sydney Vietnam Institute to connect with Vietnamese partners to resolve common issues facing both sides.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh speaks at the seminar held by the University of Sydney on September 21. Photo courtesy of the Sydney Vietnam Institute

Prof. Robyn Ward, Executive Dean of the Medicine and Health Faculty at the University of Sydney, said his school boasts over-30-year academic ties in such fields as health care, economy, agriculture, social sciences, and humanity with many universities and research institutes of Vietnam.

The foundation of the Sydney Vietnam Institute is a stride helping intensify existing relations and create new chances for the university’s cooperation with Vietnamese partners, he noted.

The institute's director Prof. Greg Fox said the institute will connect researchers and educators in Australia and Vietnam to seek solutions to common issues to improve the life of people in Vietnam and other countries through sharing new knowledge in seven fields, namely economy and reform, food and the environment, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, maternal and child health, arts - social sciences, and education.

Economic and sci-tech cooperation is a bright spot in bilateral ties with two-way trade surpassing USD 10 billion for the first time in 2021. The figure soared by 40% annually to USD 9.6 billion in seven months of this year.

According to the latest statistics, Vietnam has become the 10th biggest trade partner of Australia while Australia is the seventh largest trade partner of the Southeast Asian nation.

National defence-security cooperation has also been expanded on the basis of mutual trust while education ties and people-to-people exchange have become ever stronger.

About the prospects of Vietnam – Australia ties, Vietnamese Ambassador Thanh said the economy, national defense-security, and innovation will be three key pillars. Both sides will continue enhancing links across the priority fields of education-training, natural resources-energy, agro-forestry-fisheries, manufacturing, tourism, sci-tech, digital economy, and services.

Thanh suggested establishing a bilateral partnership in energy so that Australia could offer financial and technological support to Vietnam to switch to a low-emission economy.

Toward the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year, he said they will further deepen ties via Party’s external relations and State diplomacy channels, as well as in promising fields such as digital economy, sustainable supply chain, locality-to-locality cooperation, corporate support and cultural exchange.

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