NA leader meets Governor of Victoria and Australian Assistant Minister

During the meeting with Governor Dessau, NA Chairman Hue congratulated Victoria for its achievements in controlling and repelling the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining strong economic growth, as well as successfully organising elections last November.

Governor Dessau emphasised that the first visit made by a senior Vietnamese leader after the two countries fully resumed activities following the COVID-19 pandemic is of great significance in boosting ties between the two countries, especially among localities, moving forward.

The Victoria Dessau said that the Australian state always attaches great importance to its relationship with its Vietnamese partners, with the opening of the Victorian Office of Trade and Investment in Vietnam in 2021 and in 2022 coming after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on trade, investment, education - training, science and technology, and food processing with Ho Chi Minh City.

Furthermore, Victoria boasts several strengths in education and training, agricultural economic development, manufacturing industry, mining, finance, as well as health and sports. Currently, the state is home to RMIT University, which is investing in training facilities in Vietnam with great success.

The Governor wishes that the country will continue to create conditions for the state to further expand ties with Vietnamese localities in other areas of strength and potential. She also highly appreciates the contributions made by the Vietnamese community based in Victoria.

The top Vietnamese legislator expressed his pleasure at the first official visit to Victoria state in the role of NA Chairman. Indeed, the visit affirms that the two countries' senior leaders always support strengthening co-operation and people-to-people exchanges, considering this to be an important pillar in the context of both nations preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations ahead in 2023.

NA Chairman Hue thanked and asked the state to continue supporting and creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to enjoy a stable life and maintain their contributions to the host country and bilateral ties.

He therefore applauded the signing of the MoU between the two major economic centres of both countries, Ho Chi Minh City and Victoria, assessing it to be a model in co-operation between their localities in the future. He said that he hopes both sides will expand collaboration in other areas such as urban planning and climate change response.

The NA leader stated he welcomes Victoria’s leaders to visit the country, as well as its investors to the Vietnamese market who wish to explore investment opportunities.

Receiving Assistant Minister Ayres, NA Chairman Hue showed his elation at the strong development of joint bilateral relations across a variety of fields.

This comes as two-way trade for the first time exceeded the US$10-billion mark to reach US$12.4 billion this year, climbing to US$13.4 billion over the past 10 months of this year, up 33% on-year.

However, he noted that economic, trade, and investment ties are not commensurate with both nations’ potential.

He expressed his hope that Assistant Minister Ayres, in his positions, will further accelerate the opening of the market for Vietnamese agricultural products, support the nation to develop hi-tech agriculture, and bolster ties in education-training, culture, tourism, climate change response, and co-operation in the Mekong sub-region.

Both sides therefore consented to increase collaboration in responding to regional and international challenges, including climate change and energy security.