Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Secretary-General of ASEAN Kao Kim Hourn and heads of delegations to the Australia-ASEAN Special Summit. (Photo: VNA)

Welcome ceremony held for heads of delegations to the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his fiancee chaired an official welcome ceremony in Melbourne on March 5 afternoon (local time) for heads of delegations to the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit that marks the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN - Australia dialogue relations.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran joined the Sultan of Brunei, the Presidents of the Philippines and Indonesia and their spouses, the Prime Ministers of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Timor Leste and their spouses, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN at the ceremony.

Welcoming the heads of delegations to the summit with traditional rites and cultural and artistic performances of Australia, PM Albanese highly appreciated Australia's relations with ASEAN countries and hoped that after the summit, the Australia – ASEAN relations will be promoted and strengthened with new momentum and content.

For the last 50 years, ASEAN - Australia relations have developed very well with increased political trust and effective cooperation in all fields including trade, economics, culture, and society, he said, noting that Australia is one of the Comprehensive Strategic Partners with practical and effective cooperation with members of ASEAN. The ASEAN - Australia Special Summit commemorating 50 years of ASEAN-Australia relations is held from March 5-6 in Melbourne, Australia with the theme “A Partnership for the Future”.

Within the framework of the summit, PM Chinh will attend the main sessions and engage in several important activities. Chinh and leaders of ASEAN countries and Australia will discuss and propose visions, directions, and specific measures to expand their cooperation in the coming time. Later the same day, Chinh and his spouse attended a banquet hosted by the Australian PM and his fiancee to welcome the heads of delegations and their spouses to the summit.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (left) and Australian counterpart Penny Wong (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Australia build practical, future-oriented relations

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son had a meeting with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong on March 5 within the framework of the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit commemorating the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations in Melbourne. FM Son thanked the Australian official for his collaboration in preparing for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Australia, expressing his belief that the summit will be a great success. He expressed his satisfaction with the recent progress in bilateral relations as well as in cooperation between the two foreign ministries.

He suggested the two sides closely coordinate in implementing support packages worth nearly 200 million AUD (130 million USD) for clean energy development and climate change adaptation in the Mekong Delta region, which Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and FM Wong had announced during their recent visits to Vietnam.

For her part, Minister Wong thanked the Vietnamese Government as well as FM Son for their support and participation in the Summit, while highly valuing substantive activities that the two countries held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations last year. She took the occasion to invite Son to visit Australia again and co-chair the 6th Vietnam-Australia foreign ministerial meeting.

The same day, FM Son met with Simon Birmingham, in charge of foreign affairs of the Opposition in the Senate of Australia, during which he spoke highly of Australia’s efforts in maintaining economic and social stability and measures to address global economic uncertainties. Son also commended Birmingham's efforts in promoting Vietnam-Australia cooperation in his capacity overseeing foreign affairs of the opposition party, as well as his previous roles as Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Finance, and Minister for Trade and Investment during the period of the Coalition Government.

Birmingham affirmed that Australia attaches importance to its relations with Vietnam, considering Vietnam one of the key partners in Asia-Pacific. He stated that Australia highly values recent achievements in bilateral relations, especially in political, economic-trade-investment, and defence-security cooperation, as well as in other potential areas. He reiterated his support for the Vietnam-Australia relationship, regardless of his position, and expressed his desire to visit Vietnam again soon.

In a meeting with FM Son on the occasion, Nicholas Moore, Australia's Special Envoy for Southeast Asia, affirmed that Australia highly values the potential for cooperation with Vietnam, especially in terms of economics, trade, and investment, noting that Vietnam holds a significant position in the implementation of Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

Overseas Vietnamese greet Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Australia. (Photo: VNA)

Overseas Vietnamese in Australia optimistic about bilateral cooperation prospects

Overseas Vietnamese in Australia have expressed their optimism about stronger cooperation between the two countries, especially after the ongoing official visit to Australia by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The Vietnamese government leader is in Australia for the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit and the official visit to the Oceanian country.

Tran Ba Phuc, Chairman of the Vietnamese Business Association in Australia and Vice Chairman of the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese, said he and others have been delighted as Vietnam’s position in the international arena has been raised and respected by the international community. He also emphasized the fruitful diplomatic and trade ties between the two countries, saying the two-way trade is expected to be fostered in the time ahead, particularly after the PM’s visit, as they boast great potential for stronger cooperation.

Phuc also expressed his hope that the visit will be a success, helping to deepen the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership and that the bilateral diplomatic and economic relations will make greater strides. The Vietnamese community in Australia shares the wish to contribute to the development of the homeland, he affirmed.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese Peter Hong, who has lived in Australia for more than 40 years, said he and many Vietnamese nationals in Australia are looking forward to the PM’s visit. Vietnam’s elevated position and reputation in the world, especially in the Asia-Pacific, has raised the confidence among the Vietnamese community in Australia in the Party’s and the State’s leadership, he said.

President of the Melbourne Overseas Vietnamese Students' Association Nguyen Le Ha Chi also noted her hope that the visit will open up new opportunities for Vietnam-Australia relations, including their educational cooperation.

Vietnamese and Lao representatives at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation between Vietnam Farmers' Union and the LFNC Central Committee. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam Farmers’ Association ready to exchange, and share experiences with Laos

A delegation of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VNFU) led by the organization's chairman Luong Quoc Doan paid a courtesy visit to Politburo member of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) Central Committee Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune in Vientiane on March 5.

At the meeting, Doan said the delegation’s visit to Laos aims to exchange information, share experiences in mass mobilization work, and determine cooperation mechanisms between the association and the Lao front. They also discussed the establishment of the Lao Farmers' Association.

For his part, Sinlavong highly appreciated the role of the VNFU in the growth of Vietnam’s agriculture during the past time. He said that the delegation's visit offers opportunities for Laos to learn from Vietnam's experiences in developing the VNFU.

The same day, the Vietnamese delegation held talks with a delegation from the LFNC Central Committee led by its Vice President Khamlay Sipaseuth.

During the talks, the two sides agreed to continue promoting communications work for farmers of the two countries to understand the strategic importance and meaning of the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam. They will join in protecting and nurturing the good traditional relationship between the two countries.

The two sides agreed to continue promoting their cooperation and friendship and support each other in activities of the farmers' union in particular and the development of agriculture, farmers, and rural areas in general. At the end of the talks, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding for bilateral cooperation in the 2025 – 2030 period.

Aquatic exports surged by 23% in two months

Vietnamese seafood exports during the first two months of the year soared by 23% to US$1.3 billion against the same period last year, with many businesses receiving new export orders, according to industry insiders. Do Thi Thu Thuy, sales director of Nam Viet Group, pointed out that Tra fish (pangasius) exports rebounded in the reviewed period as major markets started placing large export orders.

Tran Anh Khoa, general director of Anh Khoa Co., Ltd. in the southern province of Ca Mau which specializes in exporting shrimp, assessed that foreign importers such as China and the Middle East currently have high demand for the aquatic product.

Many Chinese buyers are selling directly to retail customers through e-commerce channels, meaning that they need large quantities of goods, Khoa said. He added that these buyers consider Vietnamese shrimp to be of higher quality than those from Ecuador and India and are therefore willing to accept higher prices. Sharing this perspective, Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), emphasized that seafood exports bounced back during the two months.

In February alone, aquatic exports were estimated to be at US$564 million, down 8% against the same period from last year, thereby raising the two-month turnover to over US$1.3 billion, up 23% on-year. Of the figure, pangasius exports nearly doubled to US$365 million against the same period from last year, with positive signs from small markets such as the UK, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

In the reviewed period, shrimp and tuna exports both increased by 37% on-year, while pangasius exports and other types of fish rose by 15% and 8%, respectively. With regard to export markets, there are bright export prospects ahead in China, the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia, particularly as China’s demand for seafood products is recovering well. In addition, Vietnamese shrimp also have enjoyed advantages over its competitors as Ecuador is being warned due to shrimp containing sulfites along with rising freight rates.

Le Hang, VASEP Communications Director, however, pointed out that the high inventories and oversupply sources will affect the consumption demand for major aquatic items such as shrimp and pangasius. In addition, Vietnam’s seafood exports to the EU market are still facing numerous difficulties due to “yellow card” against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing imposed by the European Commission. In March and April, seafood businesses are set to engage in the International Seafood Fair programs in Boston, the US and Spain, Hang said, noting that there will be a positive outlook for export businesses.

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