Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is welcomed at Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội at noon on June 3. VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

HÀ NỘI — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived at Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội at noon on June 3, beginning a two-day official visit to Việt Nam at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Phạm Minh Chính.

This is the first official visit to Việt Nam by PM Albanese since he took office and only two months after a State-level visit by Australian Governor-General David Hurley, showing Australia's great attention to the Southeast Asian nation.

The Australian PM was welcomed at the airport by Minister – Chairman of the Vietnamese Government Office Trần Văn Sơn, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Đỗ Hùng Việt, and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski, among others.

Within the framework of the visit, PM Albanese and the Australian delegation are scheduled to lay wreaths in tribute to late President Hồ Chí Minh at his mausoleum in Hà Nội; hold talks with PM Chính and meet with the press; meet with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Nguyễn Phú Trọng, President Võ Văn Thưởng and National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ.

The Australian leader is also scheduled to join PM Chính in an exchange event with the women’s football teams of Australia and Việt Nam; go for a tour of Hà Nội; and visit RMIT University and United Nations International School (UNIS) in Hà Nội.

The visit by PM Albanese is expected to reinforce political trust and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of politics, diplomacy, security, defence, economy, investment, labour, technology, climate change response, and people-to-people exchanges. VNS