He was welcomed at the airport by PM Rudd, President of the Senate John Hogg, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Harry Jenkins, as well as officials of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Australia.

Mr Rudd and Mr Manh reviewed the guard of honour while the band played the national anthems of the two countries.

Mr Rudd welcomed Mr Manh to Australia for the first time and said he believes that the visit will help promote relations of friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Australia and Vietnam.

Party leader Manh said he was happy to return to Australia 11 years after his visit in November 1998 as the Chairman of the Vietnam National Assembly.

Vietnam attaches great importance to expanding its cooperative ties with Australia, said Mr Manh.

He expressed his hope that the visit will bring the bilateral relationship to new heights.

Mr Manh is scheduled to hold talks with his host, PM Rudd, at the Parliament headquarters in the afternoon of September 7.