During talks with visiting Governor-General Sam Mostyn in Hanoi on September 10, President Luong Cuong warmly welcomed the Australian delegation on their State visit to Vietnam, which he said took place shortly after Vietnam solemnly celebrated the 80th Anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (September 2). He extended his congratulations to Australia on its solid achievements in fostering economic development, improving social welfare, and enhancing its role and standing in the region and beyond.

Governor-General Mostyn, for her part, praised Vietnam’s remarkable progress in national development and international integration, particularly its sustained high GDP growth and socio-economic achievements. She reaffirmed Australia’s role as a reliable long-term partner, committed to supporting Vietnam’s reforms aimed at becoming a high-income country by 2045.

Both sides described the 2024 upgrade of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as historic, reflecting mutual strategic trust and determination to deepen cooperation. Ministries and sectors of both countries are implementing the 2024–2027 Action Programme for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on schedule, particularly maintaining regular consultation and dialogue mechanisms.

The two countries are major trading partners, with trade turnover exceeding US$14 billion in 2024, while tourism flows continue to grow, and 56 weekly return flights connect the two countries. Australian businesses have been facilitated in investing and trading in Vietnam, while Vietnam serves as a bridge for Australia to enhance engagement with Southeast Asia, advancing Australia–ASEAN cooperation and Mekong subregion collaboration.

Both sides agreed to continue maintaining the momentum of delegation exchanges and high-level and multi-level contacts through all channels to enhance information sharing, strengthen political trust and mutual understanding, and lay the foundation for bilateral cooperation across multiple fields.

The State President and the Governor-General agreed that defence and security cooperation is a key pillar of bilateral relations and committed to further expanding effective collaboration in this field. Australia will continue to support Vietnam in officer training, assist its participation in UN peacekeeping activities, and specifically help transport field hospitals to Vietnam’s mission in South Sudan.

President Cuong acknowledged Australia’s effective support through initiatives such as the Human Resource Development Programme, cooperation via the Vietnam–Australia Centre at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, implementation of leadership capacity-building programmes, promotion of gender equality, development of effective public administration models, and advancement of human rights education in Vietnam.

He requested that Australia continue supporting personnel training at central and local levels, particularly in training teachers and lecturers, linking training programmes between the two countries, promoting cooperation and experience exchange among training institutions, and strengthening collaboration between leading research institutes and universities of both countries.

Governor-General Mostyn appreciated the important contributions of the Vietnamese community in Australia, numbering around 350,000, and nearly 40,000 Vietnamese students studying and researching in Australia, emphasising that deep people-to-people exchanges are a solid foundation for bilateral relations.

Both sides agreed to further implement measures to enhance bilateral economic cooperation, aiming for a trade turnover of US$20 billion and doubling bilateral investment in the coming years, as well as increasing market access for each other’s key products. Vietnam looks forward to stronger investment flows from Australian businesses based on Australia’s economic connectivity initiatives in Southeast Asia, including the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

Both sides also agreed to encourage research institutions and scientists to collaborate on joint research projects, particularly in strategic technology fields such as artificial intelligence, new materials, and biomedical technology.

The two leaders also pledged to continue close coordination at regional and international forums, especially at the United Nations, ASEAN-led mechanisms, Mekong subregion development, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Australia vowed to coordinate closely and support Vietnam and ASEAN’s principled stance in ensuring maritime and aviation security, safety, and freedom in the East Sea, and resolving disputes peacefully based on respect for international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Party leader To Lam: Vietnam–Australia partnership developing strongly

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s Party General Secretary To Lam praised the substantive and effective progress in Vietnam–Australia relations, particularly following th 2024 upgrade of their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, during his meeting with Governor-General Sam Mostyn in Hanoi on September 10.