Viet Nam urges ASEAN and Australia to boost digital and green cooperation

Pham made the suggestions at the 5th ASEAN-Australia Summit held in in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 28.

He highlighted that the ASEAN–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has developed very positively in recent years in which 83 percent of the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2025-2029) have been fulfilled, thereby laying a favorable foundation for the two sides to further expand cooperation in the coming period.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister proposed four priority areas for bilateral cooperation.

First, both sides should continue to strengthen multi-layered economic connectivity, creating broader space for trade and investment in which effectively implement the AANZFTA and RCEP, while expanding the RCEP in alignment with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

He also emphasized the need for synchronized implementation measures, from policy dialogue and standard harmonization to trade promotion, connectivity, and business support. The Prime Minister called on Australia to facilitate the export of essential raw materials and minerals.

Second, ASEAN and Australia need to promote seamless and synchronized strategic infrastructure connectivity as a foundation for breakthrough development—expanding air routes and seaports, improving multimodal transport corridors; enhancing digital infrastructure connectivity and cross-border data governance; strengthening energy infrastructure, undersea and fiber-optic cable networks; and connecting smart cities and smart governance ecosystems. The Prime Minister expressed his hope that Australia would continue to support ASEAN countries in developing high-quality human resources and increasing scholarships for ASEAN students.

Third, both sides should enhance digital transformation, green transition, and renewable energy development to create new growth drivers for sustainable development. 

The Prime Minister took the occasion to call on Australia to encourage major corporations and enterprises to invest in the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement and the ASEAN Power Grid, share experience, transfer technology, and support the establishment of innovation centers; ensure cybersecurity; promote green finance; and strengthen cooperation in sustainable water resource management and responsible mineral exploitation.

Fourth, both sides should work together to consolidate a peaceful, secure, and stable environment for development; further intensify joint efforts to uphold a rules-based order; expand cooperation on maritime and non-traditional security; and establish mechanisms for information sharing and early warning of threats, including in cyberspace. 

The Prime Minister requested that Australia would continue to strongly support, both in words and actions, ASEAN's principled stance on the South China Sea, ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight, and resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese voiced his support for multilateralism and a rules-based, open, inclusive and transparent regional architecture with ASEAN at its center, as well as efforts to build the ASEAN Community. 

"Australia is committed to continuing close cooperation with ASEAN to strengthen economic connectivity, investment, clean energy, education, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, maritime cooperation, maritime safety and security, the fight against transnational crime, cyber security and counter-terrorism," he added.

On this occasion, the Australian Prime Minister announced an additional contribution of US$15 million to support the regional labour mobility program.

Two-way trade turnover between ASEAN and Australia reached US$96.2 billion, while Australia's investment in ASEAN totaled US$1.65 billion in 2024.

Both sides affirmed that the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and the "ASEAN–Australia Leaders' Vision Statement: A Partnership for Peace and Prosperity" open up extensive opportunities for deeper cooperation across all fields — including politics, security, economy, society, and sustainable development.

Looking ahead to the 5th anniversary of the ASEAN–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2026, the leaders agreed to intensify the implementation of the ASEAN–Australia Action Plan for the 2025–2029 period. Priority areas include addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges; deepening economic ties through effective implementation of the upgraded ASEAN–Australia–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); accelerating the disbursement of Australia's AUD2-billion investment facilitation package; and expanding cooperation in high-potential fields such as digital transformation, clean energy, artificial intelligence, and smart infrastructure./.