Vietnam places importance on relations with Australia: Party chief

At the reception, the Party leader welcomed the visit by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his entourage on the occasion of the two countries' 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1973-2023), and hailed the strong, substantive and comprehensive development of cooperation between the two sides over the past years.

Trong emphasized that both Vietnam and Australia are in the Asia-Pacific region, with many similarities and their relations have undergone many development periods during the past five decades.

Ties between the two countries have been expanded and deepened in both political relations, and cooperation in economy, science, technology, education-training and defence and security.

Especially, both nations have strengthened people-to-people exchanges and enjoyed close-knit relations, demonstrated by the fact that over 300,000 Vietnamese are living and working in Australia, including tens of thousands of Vietnamese students studying in the host nation. On these important bases along with the great potential for broader cooperation, the two countries' relations are believed to have good development prospects in the coming time, Trong told his guest.

The Vietnamese Party chief also highly appreciated the results of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit, especially through his talks and meetings with Vietnamese leaders and important agreements reached between the two countries during the visit.

The success of the visit by the Prime Minister and the recent visit of  Governor-General of Australia David Hurley are significant milestones in the relationship between the two countries, Trong went on to say.

The General Secretary agreed on orientation for developing bilateral ties relations, including taking the two countries' relations to new heights by boosting better cooperation and improving the efficiency of the implementation of agreements for the benefit of the two countries' peoples, and for peace, cooperation and development in the region and in the world as a whole. He also recalled the good memories of his previous visit to Australia, its land and people.

PM Anthony Albanese, in turn, affirmed Australia's recognition of importance to Vietnam's role and position and relations with the Southeast Asian nation, and expressed his delight at the impressive development achievements in relations between the two countries, which are now strategic partners.

PM Anthony Albanese brifed the Party leader on his meetings with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Vietnamese leaders, and reached high-level agreements between ministries and sectors of two countries.

The Australian leader expressed his belief in the development prospects of both nations' relationship and wished to bring their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in the future.

He affirmed Australia's stance on the importance of consolidating a peaceful and stable environment in the region, respecting international law, independence and sovereignty of nations, and equal relations.

He voiced his support for the centrality of ASEAN and the Australian Government's policy and the Labor Party's traditional line of attaching importance to promoting relations with Southeast Asian nation.

On the occasion, PM Anthony Albanese cordially invited Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to pay an official visit to Australia as a guest of the Australian Government. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong thanked and accepted the invitation with pleasure.