A delegation from Hanoi, led by Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee and Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Council visited Australia. from March 31 to April 3.

On March 31 in Sydney, the delegation held a meeting with Deputy President of the New South Wales Legislative Council, Rodney John Roberts, which was also attended by the Vietnamese Consul General in Sydney, Nguyen Thanh Tung.

During the meeting, Tuan thanked Roberts and the New South Wales legislators for their warm welcome and provided an overview of Hanoi and its people’s council. He also reviewed the development of the relationship between Hanoi and Australian localities in recent times. He emphasized future directions for cooperation and friendship, following the upgrade of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024.

The chairman of the Hanoi People’s Council expressed his hope that Roberts and the New South Wales legislators will act as bridges to enhance the friendship and connections in business, investment, trade, tourism, and education between Hanoi, Sydney, and other regions of Australia. He also expressed hope for continued support for the Vietnamese community in the Ocenian nation. On this occasion, the municipal leader extended an invitation to the leadership of the New South Wales Legislative Council to visit Hanoi at their earliest convenience.

Rodney John Roberts welcomed the Hanoi delegation and acknowledged the significance of the visit, especially following the recent elevation of bilateral ties. He affirmed his commitment to continue collaborating to strengthen the relationship between New South Wales, including Sydney, and Hanoi.

The two sides also exchanged information about their governance systems, shared experience in urban management, environmental protection, transportation, and social governance, as well as the role of legislative bodies in monitoring state agencies.

In the afternoon of the same day, the delegation participated in the Hanoi-Australia investment, trade, and tourism promotion conference 2025. The event was attended by consul general Nguyen Thanh Tung, commercial counselor Nguyen Phu Hoa, officials from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, and over 120 Australian businesses and investors.

During the opening speech, Tuan hailed the growing Vietnam-Australia relationship and the practical results achieved, especially after the two countries upgraded their ties in 2024. He emphasized the importance of economic, trade, and investment cooperation, noting that recent free trade agreements would serve as a foundation for enhancing the business, trade, and tourism environment between the two nations.

Tuan pointed out that Hanoi, as the capital of vietnam, is a major hub for politics, economics, culture, and education. The city is focusing on improving governance efficiency, administrative reforms, and creating a favorable investment environment, with a growth target of over 8% in the coming years, paving the way for a strong development trajectory in 2026-2030.

He affirmed that Hanoi is a safe and attractive investment destination for foreign enterprises, including those from Australia. The municipal authorities are committed to creating favorable conditions for businesses interested in investing and doing business in the capital.

Consul general Nguyen Thanh Tung praised the significance of the conference in promoting cooperation in key sectors like investment, trade, and tourism. He also highlighted Hanoi's transformation as a dynamic urban center with nearly 10 million people, a growing startup ecosystem, and high-quality human resources.

Nguyen Phu Hoa, the commercial counselor, stated that trade between Vietnam and Australia had reached record growth, especially in recent years. He urged further solutions to boost Australian financial investment in vietnam.

He emphasized the need to bolster cooperation in retail sectors and build industrial parks in Australia, particularly for consumer goods production. He also highlighted the potential for collaboration between Hanoi and Australian businesses in various sectors.

At the conference, the delegation witnessed the signing of three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between Hanoi and Australian enterprises.

In a recent media interview, Consul General Nguyen Thanh Tung commended the timing of the Hanoi delegation's visit, coinciding with the elevation of the Vietnam-Australia relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He expressed confidence that the signed agreements will result in tangible, sustainable cooperation.

Todney John Roberts, senior investment and trade advisor at the New South Wales Business Chamber, also shared his optimism for further collaboration between both nations, particularly in trade and investment sectors. He said that Sydney and Hanoi, as key economic centers in both countries, boast great potential to drive economic growth.

David Adams, senior project manager at Fixbuild Group, expressed enthusiasm about opportunities for cooperation between Australia and Vietnam, especially in trade. He emphasized vietnam's strong product quality and highlighted opportunities for Australian businesses to invest in vietnam.

Afterward, the delegation traveled to Canberra on april 1, where they met with local government officials. They discussed various areas of cooperation, including sustainable development, waste management, and air quality improvement. The two sides agreed to explore the possibility of formalizing the partnership between Hanoi and Canberra.

On April 2, the delegation visited the Parliament of Victoria, met with the Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, Maree Edwards, and shared experience related to governance and public policy. Tuan extended an invitation for Edwards to visit hanoi.

Later, the delegation visited the Vietnam Business Association in Australia, where Tuan applauded the association's efforts to foster Vietnam-Australia economic ties and encouraged further cooperation in trade and investment.

The Hanoi delegation concluded their successful visit to Australia with tremendous achievements, thus strengthening the cooperation and friendship between Hanoi and various Australian regions. Their activities also contributed to the promotion of investment, trade, tourism, and knowledge exchange.

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