Vietnam, Australia vow to upgrade relations

It demonstrates the government’s determination to deepen Australia’s relationship with Southeast Asia.

Vietnam and Australia today announced a shared intention to elevate the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Chairman of Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Australia on November 30. Photo: VNA

The move is made at the meeting between Chairman of Vietnam's National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on November 30.

This announcement reflects the high level of mutual strategic trust and ambition in the relationship and will place Australia in the top tier of Vietnam's closest partners, according to the Australian Embassy in Hanoi.

It demonstrates a further deepening of Australia's relationship with Southeast Asia.

At the meeting today, the two sides discussed the vibrant trade, investment, education, and defense links between Vietnam and Australia, underpinned by the Strategic Partnership and strong people-to-people links, ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

“I look forward to continuing to strengthen Australia-Vietnam ties as we celebrate our 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year,” Prime Minister Albanese said.

Australia and Vietnam share a commitment to a peaceful and prosperous region and an ambition to boost trade and investment, including creating jobs in both countries and driving the clean energy transformation.

They also discussed international issues and reiterated their commitment to ASEAN centrality and a peaceful, prosperous, stable region and in which sovereignty is respected.

They highlighted that disputes, including those in the South China Sea, should be resolved peacefully by international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight. They maintained the call that any Code of Conduct for the South China Sea should not prejudice the rights of all states under international law, particularly UNCLOS.

PM Anthony Albanese commented: "Our shared ambition to elevate our formal ties is a reflection of our deepening cooperation on significant issues – economic, climate, and strategic. It demonstrates clearly the government's determination to deepen Australia's relationship with Southeast Asia."

During his visit to Australia on November 30-December 3, Hue will meet with the Governor‑General, Parliament’s Presiding Officers, senior Federal Government ministers, and the Leader of the Opposition. In Melbourne, Hue will promote the impressive education linkages between our countries and strengthen business engagement.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Wong said Vietnam is a close partner and friend to Australia in Southeast Asia. "Our two countries are working closely together to boost cooperation on climate change, expand economic and trade opportunities, and deepen our longstanding people-to-people ties."

Notable, the visit is likely to set the stage for a visit to Vietnam by Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and possibly raise bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Cooperation between the two legislatures dates to May 1990. But there have been only four reciprocal exchanges between the Chairman of Vietnam's National Assembly and the Speaker of the House of the Australian Parliament over the past 32 years.