Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (R) and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong at the meeting in Hà Nội on August 22. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính received Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, who is paying an official visit to Việt Nam, in Hà Nội on August 22.

Welcoming Wong on her second visit to Việt Nam as the Foreign Minister of Australia, PM Chinh noted with satisfaction the vigorous growth of the countries’ relations, especially their increasingly enhanced political trust and the flourishing ties in economy - trade, education, culture, labour, people-to-people exchanges, and locality-to-locality links.

He asked the foreign ministries of Việt Nam and Australia to keep coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to effectively carry out the reached agreements and signed documents while developing concrete joint projects and activities in order to further intensify cooperation, create a solid stepping stone for bilateral relations to reach a new height, and properly prepare for coming high-level mutual visits.

The two countries should strengthen educational, labour, cultural, and people-to-people ties; encourage their enterprises to expand investment in the fields they are strong at; and bolster partnerships in such new areas as climate change response, energy transition, green growth, and digital transformation, he said.

The Government leader also thanked Australia for its precious support for Việt Nam via official development assistance (ODA) and scholarships for Vietnamese students and postgraduates.

For her part, Wong affirmed that Australia treasures the two countries’ strategic partnership.

She called on both sides to further strengthen cooperation to lift bilateral relations to a new level in the time ahead, particularly in the pillars of politics - diplomacy, security -defence, economy - trade - investment, science - technology, and innovation.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will coordinate closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to arrange visits and meetings between the countries’ senior leaders in the coming time, she added.

On this occasion, the minister announced a new aid package worth over 94 million AUD (US$60.3 million) for climate change response in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.

Talking about some regional and international issues, Wong stressed that her country respects the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the recently established comprehensive strategic partnership with the bloc.

Australia continues giving priority to the cooperation with the Mekong sub-region and attaches importance to cooperation so as to help with regional peace, stability and balance and the adherence to international law, according to the official. VNS