Speaking at the ceremony, Consul General Vu Hong Nam highlighted great political, socio-economic and cultural achievements made by the Vietnamese people over the past 65 years and affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of befriending all countries in the world for peace, cooperation and development. He also spoke highly of the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Australia since they set up diplomatic ties in 1973.

Australia is Vietnam’s seventh largest trade partner with two-way trade reaching AUD2 billion in the first five months of this year.

The country is also home to the largest contingent of Vietnamese students in the world with more than 20,000 currently studying there. The Vietnamese community in Australia numbers 300,000, with nearly a half living in New South Wales.

In the Republic of Korea, the Vietnamese Students’ Association has organised the third Vietnamese Students Sports Festival (VSAK 2010) to mark the National Day and the 1,000^th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi as well as to strengthen mutual understanding among Vietnamese students at RoK universities and institutes.

The festival attracted 60 delegations of Vietnamese student athletes from all corners of the RoK, who competed in such events as football, badminton, table tennis and track and field.

The final rounds and award ceremony took place at Ulsan University on August 21-22.