Viet Nam, Australia issue Joint Statement on deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Below is the translation of the Joint Statement for reference:

1. Within the framework of the State Visit to Australia, on August 11, 2026, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam To Lam held talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra – the traditional land of the Ngunnawal people.

2. The two Leaders reaffirmed the solid foundation of the Viet Nam – Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has been built on strategic trust and mutual understanding over the past 50 years.

Both sides welcomed the substantive progress in deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting an increasing convergence of strategic interests, and agreed to elevate cooperation to a higher level with a forward-looking orientation.

Deepening Political, Defence, Security, and Justice Cooperation

3. The two Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening political trust and mutual understanding by maintaining regular exchange of delegations and high-level contacts; effectively utilizing existing dialogue and consultation mechanisms; and promoting exchanges and cooperation among relevant agencies, Parliaments, localities, business communities, and peoples of both countries.

4. The two Leaders recognized the close cooperation in defence and security, contributing to maintaining regional peace, stability, and development. Both sides welcomed the updated Joint Vision Statement on Enhancing Defence Cooperation.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening defence and security cooperation, including through dialogues and consultations, human resource training, service-to-service cooperation, information sharing, military medicine, peacekeeping, maritime security, search and rescue, and counter-terrorism.

The two sides agreed to continue multilateral operational exchanges, building on Viet Nam's recent participation, including Exercise KAKADU in 2024 and 2026 and participating as an observer in Exercise TALISMAN SABRE in 2025.

5. The two Leaders highlighted bilateral maritime cooperation within the framework of the Australia – Southeast Asia Maritime Partnership to address shared maritime challenges in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Both sides welcomed progress towards an Agreement between Viet Nam and Australia on Maritime Law Enforcement and an Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, thereby enhancing coordination capacity among functional agencies and contributing to regional security.

6. The two Leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating transnational organized crime, such as cybercrime, online fraud, drug trafficking and smuggling, illegal immigration, human trafficking, and counter-terrorism financing.

Both sides acknowledged Viet Nam's role in hosting the Signing Ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, while affirming the importance of enhancing regional and international cooperation to prevent and combat cybercrime.

7. Both sides agreed to promote cooperation in the legal and judicial fields, effectively implementing the 2024 Letter of Intent on further cooperation between the Ministry of Justice of Viet Nam and the Attorney-General's Department of Australia.

The two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation on mutual legal assistance, extradition, and the transfer of sentenced persons on the basis of international treaties signed between the two countries.

Strengthening Economic Engagement

8. The Leaders of the two countries welcomed the developments in economic, trade, and investment relations following five years of implementing the Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES).

Both sides agreed to boost trade and investment cooperation and enhance economic resilience, including through Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, aimed at facilitating market access for each other's products and fostering connectivity between their business communities.

Both sides noted the role of Australia's Investment Promotion Teams in Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi in mobilizing development capital for Viet Nam, recognizing Viet Nam as a key priority country in Australia's financial assistance portfolio, receiving over one-third of the total grant funding (AUD 83 million).

9. The Leaders of the two countries welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Agriculture and Sustainable Development, close coordination in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors, as well as in promoting market access, including permitting Australian kangaroo and deer meat to regain market access to Viet Nam early in 2026.

10. The Leaders of the two countries emphasized the importance of building resilient and diversified supply chains, including in the critical minerals sector.

Both sides welcomed initiatives to promote high-quality and sustainable investment, including AUD 1.3 billion in financing support from Export Finance Australia (EFA) to support infrastructure development and exports to Viet Nam since 2017.

11. The Leaders of the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to a predictable, transparent, open, inclusive, fair, sustainable, and rules-based multilateral trading system, centered on a reformed World Trade Organization (WTO).

Australia welcomed Viet Nam's participation in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA). Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the regional economic architecture; Australia reaffirmed its support for Viet Nam assuming the role of CPTPP Chair in 2026 and hosting APEC in 2027.

Knowledge Sharing and People-to-People Connections

12. The two Leaders noted that strong and deep people-to-people exchanges serve as the foundation of the bilateral relationship. Both sides affirmed that education, training, and human exchanges remain vital pillars of the relationship; agreeing to step up cooperation in higher education, vocational education and training, joint research, student and lecturer exchanges, and professional development.

Viet Nam acknowledged the important contributions of the Aus4Skills Program over the past 10 years to human resource development and knowledge exchange, while welcoming Australia's continued investment in the program for a 9-year phase (2026–2035).

13. Both sides agreed to continue promoting youth, cultural, sports, and tourism exchanges, thereby consolidating the social foundation of bilateral relations. Both sides agreed to further facilitate travel, tourism, and business cooperation between the two countries.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the bilateral Consular Agreement to facilitate friendly relations and cooperation between the two nations.

14. The two Leaders welcomed the Protocol Amending the Air Services Agreement. Both sides welcomed education and research linkages between the two countries and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training.

Both sides highly valued RMIT University's contribution to education in Viet Nam over the past 26 years and welcomed stronger cooperation from Australian universities in building high-quality human resources in Viet Nam.

Both sides also welcomed the issuance of the adjusted Investment Registration Certificate for RMIT University's campus in Ha Noi.

15. The two Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting and protecting human rights in accordance with international law, while strengthening and contributing to the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council and its mechanisms.

Both sides affirmed they will maintain frank, candid, and constructive exchanges, including through the annual Human Rights Dialogue. Both sides committed to working together to build inclusive societies, ensuring equal opportunity and respect for human rights without discrimination of any kind.

Enhancing Climate, Environment, and Energy Cooperation

The Leaders of the two countries discussed the prolonged impacts of global energy supply chain disruptions on their respective economies and welcomed the Joint Statement on Enhancing Resilience, Adaptation, and Economic Recovery, as well as the convening of the Ministerial Energy and Mining Dialogue.

Both sides affirmed that accelerating the energy transition, including through electrification and the deployment of renewable energy, serves as vital drivers to strengthen economic resilience; and welcomed enhanced cooperation between the two countries' energy regulatory agencies.

Viet Nam also highly appreciated Australia's support and contributions to the ASEAN Power Grid.

17. The Leaders of the two countries agreed to continue strengthening cooperation in environmental protection, responding to climate change, and reducing emissions, thereby contributing to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and international climate commitments.

Both sides recognized the importance of urgent climate action to fulfill the Paris Agreement, including the successful implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Both sides committed to enhancing cooperation in NDC implementation, supporting clean energy transition, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Both sides affirmed their joint commitment to strengthening cooperation in integrated water resources management, data-based water accounting and governance, digital transformation, drought management, and the restoration of water resources and ecosystems to enhance water security and climate resilience.

18. Viet Nam welcomed Australia's role as President-designate of COP31 negotiations and its support for Fiji and Tuvalu to co-host the Pre-COP Conference within the framework of the Pacific Partnership towards COP31.

19. Viet Nam welcomed the implementation of the Aus4Adaptation Program and acknowledged its contributions to enhancing climate change adaptation capacity in the Mekong Delta.

20. The Leaders of the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation to address shared marine environmental challenges through marine science and monitoring, sustainable management of marine resources, and enhancing maritime domain awareness.

Both sides welcomed Australia's Infrastructure Partnership Program, including the initiative to decarbonize the maritime sector, while noting their commitment to the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) to promote the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.

Fostering Cooperation in Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation

21. The Leaders of the two countries welcomed the deepening of cooperation in science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and digital inclusion, including promoting the safe, secure, and responsible development and deployment of emerging technologies.

Both sides welcomed the Joint Statement on Enhancing Science, Technology, and Innovation Connectivity between Viet Nam and Australia.

22. Both sides welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Health Cooperation to enhance collaboration in healthcare, medicine, and medical research.

Strengthening Regional and International Cooperation

23. The Leaders of the two countries reaffirmed their strong support for multilateralism, ASEAN, and international law, including the United Nations Charter, which form the bedrock of regional peace, security, and stability.

24. The Leaders of the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful, stable, prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and uncoerced Indo-Pacific region where national sovereignty is respected and competition is responsibly managed.

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of strengthening collective capacity to respond to emerging developments and challenges in the region.

25. The Leaders of the two countries reaffirmed ASEAN centrality and the importance of ASEAN and ASEAN-led regional mechanisms in maintaining an open, transparent, resilient, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture; thereby fostering dialogue, cooperation, trust-building, and transparency to reduce the risks of miscalculation and misunderstanding, and prevent crisis and conflict.

Both sides agreed to continue working closely to deepen the ASEAN – Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the elevation of relations in 2026, while reaffirming the importance of effectively implementing the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

Both sides acknowledged the ASEAN Future Forum as an important initiative driving practical discussions on the future of ASEAN.

26. Australia reaffirmed its strong support for ASEAN centrality, unity, and solidarity, as well as ASEAN's leading role in driving dialogue, cooperation, and trust-building in the region.

The Leaders of the two countries recalled their commitments under the ASEAN – Australia Leaders' Joint Statement on Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management in the ASEAN-Led Regional Architecture to enhance cooperation through ASEAN-led mechanisms, thereby promoting dialogue and open communication, reinforcing strategic trust, and maintaining transparent, predictable, and responsible behavior to minimize the risks of misunderstanding and miscalculation, and prevent conflict in the region.

27. The Leaders of the two countries called for the implementation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus on the situation in Myanmar. Both sides called for an immediate cessation of violence, unhindered humanitarian access, and inclusive, substantive dialogue.

28. The Leaders of the two countries expressed concern over the situation in the East Sea and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, freedom of navigation and overflight, ensuring unimpeded lawful commerce, respecting legal and diplomatic processes, peacefully resolving maritime disputes without the threat or use of force, in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Both sides reaffirmed that UNCLOS provides the comprehensive legal framework governing all activities in the oceans and seas. Both sides emphasized the importance of the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Both sides noted that any Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) must be effective, substantive, consistent with international law, particularly UNCLOS, and without prejudice to the rights of any state under international law.

Both sides also highlighted the critical role that straits used for international navigation and sea lanes play in global trade and economic security.

29. The Leaders of the two countries agreed to foster cooperation under the Mekong – Australia Partnership (MAP) to build resilience and promote inclusive and sustainable development in the Mekong sub-region./.