Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese receives Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo

SYDNEY — Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn paid a courtesy visit to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday on the occasion of his official visit to Australia to co-chair the 4th Việt Nam - Australia Foreign Ministers' Meeting. 

At the meeting, Minister Sơn thanked the Australian government for the donation of 22.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines along with medical equipment and supplies to Việt Nam since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, saying that this assistance has helped Việt Nam control the pandemic and soon recover socio-economic development.

He highlighted the strong development of the Việt Nam - Australia strategic partnership across many fields, saying that mutual understanding and political trust have been strengthened; and economic-trade relations have been expanded with two-way turnover exceeding US$10 billion. 

The Minister suggested the Australian government and PM Albanese continue to pay attention to promoting cooperation with Việt Nam, especially in new energy and climate change response, and help Việt Nam fulfil its commitments made at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). 

He urged the two sides to actively prepare activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations, including organising high-level visits, cultural and tourism activities, and people-to-people exchange. 

For his part, Australian PM Albanese highlighted the significance of foreign minister Sơn’s visit to Australia, saying that it contributes to further promoting the strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Australia.

He congratulated Việt Nam on its important achievements in socio-economic development, as well as the country’s increasing role and position in the region, and affirmed that the Australian government always considers Việt Nam a friend and an important partner in ASEAN and the region, and always attaches great importance to developing the Strategic Partnership with Việt Nam.

Albanese affirmed his support for the Vietnamese diplomat’s proposals, expressing his belief that the two sides will discuss specific measures to expand and deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries at the 4th Việt Nam-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. 

He called on Việt Nam to continue promoting its role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), contributing to further fostering the ASEAN - Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. — VNS