Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính meets Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne committed an additional 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Việt Nam while holding talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Tuesday during her official visit to Việt Nam.

The commitment has increased Australia’s vaccine donation to Việt Nam to more than 7.8 million doses.

During their meeting, PM Chính and Foreign Minister Marise Payne agreed to continue to maintain and promote the exchange of all-level delegations while deploying existing co-operation mechanisms in various flexible forms.

They also committed to effectively implementing the Việt Nam - Australia Action Programme for the 2020-23 period and Việt Nam - Australia Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES) in order to soon double two-way trade turnover, making the two countries one of each other's top 10 trading partners.

The two sides also agreed to promote co-operation to maximise opportunities in the context of the pandemic in the fields of digital transformation, innovation, economic restructuring and green growth.

PM Chính thanked the Australian Government for the donation of vaccines and medical equipment and hoped that Australia would continue to stand side-by-side with Việt Nam in fighting the pandemic, recovering the socio-economy, improving healthcare capacity, responding to future outbreaks and climate change, as well as assisting in training a high-skilled workforce.

The Vietnamese leader highly appreciated the development of bilateral co-operation despite the pandemic’s difficulties. The two-way trade turnover in the first nine months of this year grew strongly, reaching US$9.1 billion, a 50 per cent increase year-on-year. Australia continues to maintain a high proportion of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for Việt Nam with AUD 78.9 million in the 2021-22 financial year.

He proposed the Australian side continue to maintain official development aid for Việt Nam, consider opening the market for a number of Việt Nam’s exported agricultural and aquatic products and launching the agricultural visa programme for Vietnamese workers.

The PM proposed Australia continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Australia, exempt or reduce overstay fines for Vietnamese citizens stuck in Australia due to the pandemic and soon re-accept Vietnamese students to study and research in the country.

He also proposed the two countries continue to support each other and the ASEAN-Australia partnership in matters of regional and global peace, co-operation and development, including the stances of ASEAN and Việt Nam on East Sea issues.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne affirmed Australia attached great importance to the relationship with Việt Nam and placed Việt Nam at a prioritised position in infrastructure development, agriculture, poverty reduction and response to climate change co-operation.

She wishes to elevate the strategic partnership with Việt Nam in the future.

Minister Marise Payne supported the proposals made by PM Chính, especially on economic co-operation, trade, investment, education - training and common regional issues.

Australia highly appreciated Việt Nam's stance on the East Sea issues, fully supports the peaceful settlement of international disputes on the basis of compliance with the principles of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, she said.

She spoke highly of Việt Nam's commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and affirmed that Australian businesses were interested in the Vietnamese market and were willing to make the most of the opportunities that the Vietnamese potential market would bring.

She committed that Australia would expand investment in Việt Nam in the near future.

Việt Nam-Australia Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Việt Nam and Australia agreed to continue enhancing political cooperation and deepening areas of key cooperation between the two countries at their third foreign ministers’ meeting held in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

The event was co-chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn and Australian Foreign Minister Australia Marise Payne.

The two ministers expressed delight at the strong development of the Việt Nam-Australia strategic partnership.

They agreed that the Việt Nam-Australia Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, which was approved by the two Prime Ministers on the sidelines of the COP-26, played an important role in realising the target of bringing the two countries to become top trade partners of each other and doubling two-way trade turnover.

Australian Minister Payne agreed to increase investment and support for Việt Nam in innovation, green and sustainable growth and hi-technology agriculture and continue Official Development Assistance (ODA) for Việt Nam.

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in science and technology and labour, national defence and education and training; and continue promoting people-to-people exchanges as well as cooperation between localities and friendship associations of the two countries.

Concerning cooperation in COVID-19 prevention and control, Minister Sơn thanked the Australian Government for its support and donation of vaccines and medical equipment for Việt Nam. He shared Việt Nam’s strategy of "safe and flexible adaptation and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic” with the aim of soon bringing the whole country to live in the new normal.

The Australian minister announced that the Australian Government committed to donate an additional 2.6 million doses of vaccines to Việt Nam, bringing the total amount of vaccines committed to the country to 7.8 million. Australia will deliver 700,000 doses of vaccines to Việt Nam in the next few weeks.

The two ministers also discussed regional and international issues of common concern. Minister Sơn congratulated Australia for becoming the comprehensive strategic partner of ASEAN and expressed his belief that this would lay a foundation for the two sides to continue promoting relations more comprehensively, practically and effectively.

Minister Payne affirmed that Australia would continue fostering cooperation to promote sustainable development of the Mekong sub region, particularly in coping with climate change.

Regarding the East Sea situation, the two ministers affirmed that all disputes must be addressed peacefully in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

They agreed to enhance cooperation between the two foreign ministries. — VNS