A higher level of political trust between Vietnam and Australia
VOV.VN - Vietnam and Australia have recently upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, indicating the increasing political trust between the two countries.
A new era for bilateral relations
In a media release, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stressed that the upgrade opens up ‘a new era for Australia-Vietnam relations’ and that ‘This new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership reflects our cooperation, our strategic trust and shared ambition for our region.” He affirmed that “There is enormous potential to be realised through closer ties between Australia and Vietnam.
Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski told VOV that this decision has been carefully considered, as the comprehensive strategic partnership is the highest level in Vietnam’s foreign relations system. The new relationship framework shows the increasing level of political trust and mutual trust between the two countries, and opens up more opportunities to further strengthen bilateral relations to bring benefits for both sides.
Sharing his perspective, Layton Pike, co-founder of the Australia-Vietnam Policy Institute, noted that May 7 was a historic day in bilateral relations when the two countries established a new relationship framework (the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership). He said that the new framework would create conditions for both Australia and Vietnam to increase dialogue and exchange at all levels and in all fields.
Meanwhile, John MCarthy, former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, said that the upgrade shows that Vietnam wants to develop substantial relations with Australia, in which policies and actions are given top priority.
Abdul Rahman Yaacob, an expert of Lowy Institute, noted that the upgrade reflects Vietnam’s consistent policy of non-alignment as the Southeast Asian nation, before Australia, had developed comprehensive strategic partnerships with China, India, Russia, the Republic of Korea, the US and Japan.
Six major pillars of new relationship framework
Ambassador Goledzinowski said that Australia and Vietnam have identified six major pillars of the new relationship framework based on Vietnam’s priorities and Australia’s strengths.
The first pillar, according to the diplomat, is cooperation in politics, defense, security and justice. Such cooperation is underpinned by a high level of political trust between the two countries in the context that both sides have common interests in ensuring a safe and prosperous region.
Economic cooperation is the second pillar in which the two sides will focus on increasing trade exchanges and Australia will promote investment in Vietnam to become an important investor in the country.
The third pillar focuses on cooperation in climate change response, the environment and energy. This is a priority area for Vietnam as it is vulnerable to climate change impact and the country is undertaking energy conversion to meet net zero emissions commitment. Last year, Australia announced AUD95 million to support climate change adaptation in the Mekong sub-region and more than AUD100 million for economic development, including the transition to green energy.
The fourth pillar is to promote cooperation in the field of education to increase people-to-people connections and improve knowledge. The Vietnamese Prime Minister during his visit met representatives of a number of Australian universities to discuss ways to promote educational cooperation between the two countries.
The fifth pillar is science-technology, innovation and digital transformation. Ambassador Goledzinowski reminded that the two countries have just signed a number of agreements on science and technology - an area where the two sides can learn from each other, especially in the digital space.
Last but not least, the two countries will strengthen cooperation in regional and international issues. They are both middle-sized countries in the Indo-Pacific region and share the desire for a region where countries can live together in peace, free from threats and the use of force.
An important message delivered
During the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the joint business forum. He conveyed the message that Vietnam is ready to welcome Australian investors and connect them with local businesses. He affirmed that the government, ministries, agencies and localities of Vietnam stay ready to support Australian businesses to operate successfully in the country for the win-win outcome.
According to Ambassador Goledzinowski, all eyes are on Vietnam at the moment because it is one of the best investment destinations in the world. He expected that through the forum, businesses would seize the opportunity and come to Vietnam to learn and connect with Vietnamese partners.
In his view, the Australian visit by the Vietnamese Prime Minister was a success as many of Vietnam’s priorities were examined. The trip reflected the level of sincerity and friendship between the two countries, and it would open up a wealth of cooperation opportunities between the two countries, he said.
