Prime Minister hosts Australian Governor-General

PM Pham hailed the strong development in Viet Nam-Australia strategic partnership, adding that economic and trade cooperation is the spotlight in the relationship between the two countries.

The two-way trade value hit nearly US$ 15.7 billion in 2022, up nearly 27 percent against the previous year, making Australia the 7th biggest trade partner of Viet Nam and Viet Nam the 10th largest trade partner of Australia. 

Pham suggested Australia create favorable conditions for Viet Nam's agro-aquatic products to enter its market towards balanced trade ties. 

Viet Nam welcomes Australia's enterprises and investment funds to invest in the country in all spheres of renewable energy, infrastructure, telecommunications, finance-banking, education, high-tech agriculture, digital transformation, mining, agriculture, aviation and tourism, said the Prime Minister. 

Pham suggested Australia continue supporting Viet Nam in training and capacity building, foster collaboration in fighting trans-national crimes, terrorism, economic crimes, drugs and high-tech crimes, and promote cybersecurity cooperation.

David Hurley said the two countries should expand cooperation in such fields like education, tourism, agriculture and people-to-people exchanges, underlining the need to exchange experience in tourism development. 

Regarding new cooperation areas including climate change adaption and energy transition, David Hurley asserted that Australia would assist Viet Nam in realizing its net-zero emission commitment by 2050. 

Australia will work together with Viet Nam and Laos to organize the ASEAN-Australia High Level Dialogue on Climate Change and Energy Transition, David Hurley stated. 

Both sides spoke highly of the two nations' close coordination and mutual support at international and regional forums, particularly at the UN, APEC and ASEAN. 

They lauded the developments in Australia-ASEAN partnership which was upgraded to comprehensive strategic partnership level in October 2021 and the plan on the organization of a high-level summit on celebration of the 50^th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia relations in 2024. 

David Hurley underscored that Australia advocates the principled stance of ASEAN on the East Sea issue, calling on relevant sides to maintain peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of aviation and navigation in the East Sea. 

He highlighted the significance of respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), strictly implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and building an effective and efficient Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law./.