Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts.

78 years of National Day and 50 years of Vietnam-Australia ties marked in Canberra

The Vietnamese Embassy in Australia hosted a reception on September 6 in the Australian capital of Canberra to mark the 78th National Day and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the nation and Australia.

More than 450 guests, including government representatives, parliamentarians, representatives of a number of Australian agencies and organizations, and a large number of diplomatic missions in Canberra were present at the event.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh highlighted the significance of National Day and the numerous achievements recorded in socio-economic development and external relations by the nation over the past seven decades, with the country having now made friends with 200 countries around the world, establishing partnerships with most Indo-Pacific neighbors and ASEAN members.

The nation has also signed 18 free trade agreements (FTAs) with 60 partners around the world, cited VOV.

In relations with Australia, Ambassador Thanh affirmed that Australia is a trusted partner, not only through providing COVID-19 vaccines, but also has been a good friend of the country for the past five decades with many support programs implemented in the fields of education, infrastructure, and telecommunications.

The Vietnamese diplomat emphasized that the upgrade of relations to a strategic partnership in 2018 has boosted bilateral ties in the fields of economics, security, and innovation. In the future, the two countries will expand and deepen linkages in areas that both sides are facing, namely digital transformation, and climate change, while continuing to protect international law for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world.

PM attends ASEAN-India Summit, East Asia Summit

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 7 attended the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit within the framework of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Addressing the 20th ASEAN-India Summit, PM Chinh showed his belief that with the efforts of both sides, the ASEAN-India comprehensive strategic partnership is full of potential and promises to gain breakthrough development in the coming time.

To realize that goal, he proposed to further intensify economic and trade connections, effectively implement the ASEAN–India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA), promote complementary strengths, and facilitate the access of goods to each other's markets.

He suggested the two sides spend more appropriate resources to soon complete expressway projects connecting India with ASEAN, and accelerate connectivity and cooperation in digital transformation, facilitating the application of innovation achievements, thus opening up opportunities for technology businesses of both sides.

The Vietnamese leader urged India to speed up the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and join hands in developing the Mekong sub-region, including through the Mekong - Ganga Cooperation, to further deepen connections in implementing sustainable development goals between ASEAN and India, thereby contributing to promoting inclusive growth and equal development.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (Photo: VNA)

Indian PM Narendra Modi affirmed that ASEAN is a pillar of the Act East Policy and the focus of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

ASEAN and India agreed to prioritize sustainable maritime cooperation, combat terrorism and transnational crime, improve medical capacity, promote connectivity and digital transformation, and expand cooperation in energy transition and climate change response. The Indian leader announced the establishment of the ASEAN-India Fund for Digital Future.

The two sides adopted joint statements on maritime cooperation and food security enhancement in the crisis period, according to VNA.

At the 18th East Asia Summit, Chinh emphasized the stature and strategic value of the EAS as a place where leaders hold dialogue and put forward orientations for peace, security, cooperation, and prosperity in the region and the world, to promote cooperation, solve conflicts and raise awareness to get closer together.

To promote the EAS's important role, the Vietnamese PM proposed to shape a regional structure that is open, inclusive, transparent, and based on international law, create new momentum for inclusive growth and sustainable development, and identify peace, stability, and development cooperation as goals, and dialogue and cooperation as tools.

Chinh called on all countries to boost international solidarity, uphold multilateralism to solve global issues such as epidemics, climate change, and resource depletion, and work together to resolve disputes and conflicts by peaceful means based on international law.

At the summits, leaders of countries exchanged views on international and regional issues such as the South China Sea, Myanmar, the Korean Peninsula, and the conflict in Ukraine.

They emphasized the importance of peace, security, and stability in the region as a prerequisite for current efforts towards inclusive growth and sustainable development. The partners affirmed their support for ASEAN's efforts, balanced and objective approach, and common stance on these issues.

PM Chinh suggested partners show their support for ASEAN's centrality in reality and work with the bloc to promote dialogue, consultation, trust-building, and response to common challenges.

He and other leaders reaffirmed their common stance on the South China Sea, emphasizing that ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the sea is the interest of all countries. He proposed partners back the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and the building of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), contributing to turning the South China Sea into a sea of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

Regarding the Myanmar issue, the Vietnamese Prime Minister affirmed that his country will actively participate in and contribute to the process of supporting Myanmar to overcome difficulties on the basis of the Five-Point Consensus, and continue providing humanitarian aid to the country.

17th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2023 kicks off

The 17th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2023 (ITE HCMC 2023) themed “Connectivity, Growth, Sustainability” officially opened on September 7 in Ho Chi Minh City.

The expo attracted more than 400 domestic and international tourism brands while selecting 199 international buyers from 42 countries and territories that are Vietnam's key and potential inbound tourism markets, such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Poland, the US, France, Malaysia, and New Zealand.

Upon addressing the opening ceremony, Phan Van Mai, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, emphasized that Vietnamese tourism in general and Ho Chi Minh City tourism in particular has seen positive signs of tourism recovery and development.

Over the past eight months of the year, the southern city welcomed nearly 25 million visitors, including three million international visitors, reaching 63% compared to the figures from 2019 with tourism revenue reaching more than VND100,000 billion.

These impressive results can be attributed to significant contributions from international cooperation on tourism among countries in the region over recent times, reported VOV.

Delegates at the opening ceremony of the 17th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2023.

Furthermore, along with other tourism promotion programs, ITE HCMC has also contributed to accelerating the growth of foreign arrivals to Vietnam, increasing the flow of visitors among countries, boosting tourism revenue, as well as strengthening trade exchange activities.

The municipal leader suggested that the southern metropolis' tourism industry is required to focus on updating information and market forecasts in order to increase the number of visitors and tourism revenue moving forward.

In particular, the tourism industry must properly assess unpredictable developments occurring in the domestic and foreign markets, as well as devise a timely approach to accelerate the tourism industry, he noted.

ITE HCMC 2023, which will run until September 9, is projected to attract 25,000 visitors with a diverse array of activities on offer such as conferences, seminars, and trade connections.

US promotes cooperation with Vietnam based on mutual understanding, trust: US Ambassador

On September 6, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper met with the media to provide information about the upcoming State visit to Vietnam by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., noting that one of the US’s objectives is to promote bilateral cooperation based on mutual understanding and trust.

The US President's State visit from September 10 - 11 will be made at the invitation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

Talking to the press, the Ambassador noted that the US’s policy towards Vietnam for the past many years is based on respect for each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political institutions.

Both sides share viewpoints on some international issues, including the South China Sea matters, he said, elaborating that they are completely unanimous in the importance of complying with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and peacefully resolving the South China Sea-related issues, cited WVR.

Overview of the meeting with the media. (Photo: Tuan Viet)

The US has also shared with Vietnam several fields of international cooperation such as climate change response, health care, and particularly the settlement of socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Ambassador Knapper stressed that the US shares Vietnam’s efforts to become a high-income country by 2045 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050, saying he looks forward to President Biden’s visit to Vietnam to show that the two countries’ futures are connected with each other and to realize the set targets.

The Ambassador noted that the fastest way to boost bilateral cooperation based on mutual understanding and trust is by stepping up people-to-people exchanges.

Besides, according to the Ambassador, increasing educational cooperation is also a foundation for building bilateral relations. There are about 30,000 Vietnamese students studying in the US at present, forming the fifth-largest community of foreign students there. However, the number doesn’t fully reflect the collaboration in education since many are also enrolling in short-term or online courses.

The Ambassador voiced his hope that President Biden’s visit will also open up more opportunities for educational partnership between the countries.

The two sides are also set to discuss cooperation in green energy during the trip, he added.

Foreign ambassadors believe in Vietnam’s development prospect

Some foreign ambassadors have expressed their belief that Vietnam will succeed in realizing its 2045 vision of becoming a high-income country and contributing more to regional and global stability and development.

Congratulating the State and people of Vietnam on the 78th National Day (September 2), Indonesian Ambassador Denny Abdi perceived that Vietnam’s enormous achievements in economic development over the past decades will promote its development momentum towards the realization of the high-income country target by 2045.

Indonesia also shares a common vision with Vietnam as it is exerting efforts to reach its goals by the centenary of its Independence Day in 2045, he noted.

Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi (Photo: VNA)

With similarities in their visions, the 10-year strategic partnership, and their membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the two countries should keep stepping up cooperation and mutual support in the settlement of regional challenges and at international forums, he went on.

The ambassador voiced his belief that the close and long-standing relations between Indonesia and Vietnam, founded by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Soekarno, will remain trustworthy and sustainable when both sides enhance their partnership and pursue common interests to bring about peace, stability, and prosperity to people of the two countries and the region at large.

This year, Vietnam and Australia celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. Australian Ambassador Andrew Goledzinowski affirmed that Vietnam is a highly important economic partner of his country, VNA reported.

Vietnam is currently the 15th most populous country in the world and the fastest-growing economy in Asia, he said, noting that all countries are paying special attention to the Southeast Asian nation.

Meanwhile, economic ties between the two countries are growing rapidly, with Australia turning into the seventh-largest trading partner of Vietnam in recent years, according to Goledzinowski.

For his part, Dutch Ambassador Kees van Baar said among European countries, the Netherlands is the second largest trading partner and the biggest investor of Vietnam, and that there remains much potential for bilateral economic partnerships, including Vietnam’s exports to and imports from the EU.

The EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has made Vietnam’s investment climate more attractive to foreign enterprises. Not many countries or regions have had such an agreement. This is one of the benefits generated by the EVFTA, the diplomat opined.

He affirmed that the Netherlands will always stand side by side with Vietnam and help the latter establish its brand in export markets and remain a trustworthy partner of the EU in the coming time.

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