Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính welcomes Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Hà Nội on June 4. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired a welcome ceremony on Sunday morning for his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, who is paying an official visit to Việt Nam on June 3-4.

Following the ceremony, the two Prime Ministers held talks.

This is the first official visit to Việt Nam of PM Albanese since he took office, which takes place just two months after a State visit of the Governor-General of Australia, David Hurley. This reflects the importance that Australia attaches to its relations with Việt Nam.

Besides talks with PM Chính, the Australian PM will also have meetings with Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, President Võ Văn Thưởng and National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ.

Earlier on the day, before the welcome ceremony, PM Albanese and his entourage paid floral tribute to President Hồ Chí Minh at his mausoleum in Hà Nội.

Việt Nam and Australia established diplomatic relationship in 1973. Over the past 50 years, bilateral ties have seen substantial and effective development, with economic and trade cooperation a bright spot. Two-way trade reached almost US$15.7 billion in 2022, up nearly 27 per cent from 2021. Australia is now the seventh largest trade partner of Việt Nam while Việt Nam is the 10th largest trade partner of Australia.

The two countries have signed a Việt Nam – Australia Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES), under which they are working to bolster bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

The two sides have maintained trust and strengthened friendship, mutual understanding and respect through the exchange of delegations, contact at both central and local levels and people-to-people friendship exchanges.

The visit of PM Albanese to Việt Nam is an occasion for the two countries to not only review their 50-year cooperation but also discuss opportunities to lift bilateral relations to a new height. — VNS