NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ (R) receives Treasurer of Victoria Tim Pallas. VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

MELBOURNE — National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ was busy with a series of meetings with Australian businessmen in Melbourne on December 2-3 as part of his official visit to Australia.

Attending a Việt Nam-Australia economic cooperation forum on December 2 afternoon (local time), Huệ was welcomed by Lord Mayor of Melbourne Sally Capp and Victoria's Commissioner to Southeast Asia Rebecca Hall.

Apart from agricultural cooperation, Hall said Australian enterprises are interested in various fields in Việt Nam such as health care, maternal and baby care, and preschool education in Việt Nam.

As of November 2022, Việt Nam attracted 36,109 projects worth US$437.52 billion from 141 countries and territories, heard the forum.

At the event, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Trần Quốc Phương and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Quốc Khánh called for Australia’s increased investment in Việt Nam in workforce training, digital transformation and hi-tech agriculture. They said Việt Nam also encourages its firms to expand operations in Australia in line with the two countries’ laws.

Khánh said the Vietnamese Government is offering incentives in the spheres of agriculture, education and logistics, especially amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Huệ hoped that more Australian enterprises will come to Việt Nam to seek business opportunities. The two governments and legislatures will create favourable frameworks, policies and mechanisms to support businesses, he asserted.

At the event, a number of memoranda of understanding were signed. In particular, a leader of RMIT University – the biggest foreign investor in education in Việt Nam, announced to double its investment in the country early next year.

Receiving CEO of Asia Society Australia Philipp Ivanov and three businesspeople joining the Vietnam-Australia Business Champions Initiative in Melbourne in the afternoon of December 2, Huệ expressed his readiness to listen to feedback from entrepreneurs and business associations to create the best business environment.

He suggested holding more trips to Việt Nam for businesspeople to learn about the business environment and cooperation opportunities under the Initiative.

Stressing that Việt Nam is attractive to foreign investors, not just for Australia, the businesspeople vowed to do better to encourage more investment in the country and offer practical recommendations to the two governments to boost bilateral ties.

In a reception for Treasurer of Victoria Tim Pallas and representatives of Linfox logistics provider on December 3, the top Vietnamese leader hailed Victoria for opening a trade and investment office in HCM City, contributing to reinforcing economic-trade-investment ties between the two localities and the two countries as well.

Speaking highly of Linfox’s investment in aviation logistics services in Việt Nam, Huệ wished that Linfox would enhance workforce training and cooperate in a direct flight service linking Việt Nam and Victoria state.

Receiving Callum Fraser, founder of Elenberg Fraser and Phil Burns, president of Sinclair Brook on the same day, Huệ highlighted Việt Nam’s potential in real estate, tourism, entertainment, services and information technology.

He asked them, with their strengths in design consultancy and real estate management, to partner with Việt Nam in building smart cities.

The Australian executives hoped to receive further support to learn about opportunities and seek partners in Việt Nam. — VNS