Australia aspires to further boost relations with Vietnam

VOV.VN -Sue Lines, the new president of the Australian Senate, affirmed during a September 27 reception held for Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh that her nation continues to place great importance on its relations with Vietnam.

She expressed her elation at the outstanding development steps in terms of the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Partnership, especially in relation to economic co-operation, parliamentary diplomacy, and people-to-people exchanges.

Lines went on to affirm that she will continue supporting Australia’s relations with the country just as she did when she was vice president of the Senate, emphasizing  that both nation still boast huge potential to further develop mutual ties moving forward.

The president of the Australian Senate also said that she is elated at the co-operation between the two countries’ localities, especially the achievements recorded in collaboration between her home state Western Australia and the Vietnamese southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. She added that she is looking forward to the opening of more direct flights between the two nations in the future, especially with Perth, the capital of Western Australia.

In response, Ambassador Thanh noted with pleasure that two-way trade had expanded by nearly 40% during the first eight months of the year, making Australia the country’s seventh largest trading partner and the Southeast Asian nation the 10th biggest trading partner of Australia for the first time.

He went on to voice his hope that the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group will soon be set up to co-ordinate efforts aimed at boosting parliamentary co-operation.

The two sides used the event to consent to foster collaboration between the two parliaments towards the celebration of the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties which will happen next year.

Lines said she hopes to soon welcome the Vietnamese National Assembly's leaders to visit Australia, affirming her plans to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time in the future.

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