Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Trí Dũng speaks at the first Việt Nam-Australia Economic Partnership Meeting (EPM) was held in Adelaide yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Hữu Tuyên

SYDNEY — The first Việt Nam-Australia Economic Partnership Meeting (EPM) was held in Adelaide yesterday under the co-chair of Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Trí Dũng and Australian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham.
The event, to be held annually in rotation, aims to promote trade, investment and development partnerships between the two countries.
The event highlights a joint statement issued by the two countries on August 23 during the Việt Nam visit by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, targeting the building of an economic co-operation strategy to become top 10 trade partners and doubling two-way trade.
The event also aims to reinforce the joint commitments of both sides in trade facilitation and economic connection, helping the two countries optimise opportunities from newly-emerging markets.
At the meeting, the two sides focused on measures to bolster bilateral trade, investment and development co-operation, as well as innovation.
They discussed global and regional matters as well as multilateral issues related to ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the World Trade Organisation, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
Việt Nam confirmed its determination to work with Australia to enhance trade, investment and development co-operation between the two countries, meeting the demands and interests of each country and contributing to peace, stability, co-operation and development in the region.
Concluding the event, Dũng and Birmingham signed a joint statement.
Việt Nam will host the next meeting in 2020. — VNS