Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính received Deputy Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Sharon Claydon on Thursday in Canberra. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

CANBERRA — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính received Sharon Claydon, Deputy Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives and Chairperson of the Australia-Việt Nam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, in Canberra on Thursday, within the framework of his official visit to Australia.

Chính thanked Australia for supporting Việt Nam in post-war recovery and socio-economic development, especially by providing official development assistance (ODA) for Việt Nam, most recently in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He appreciated the cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) and the Australian Parliament, especially after the visit by NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ to Australia in 2022, saying he hopes that the relations between the two legislative bodies as well as the two friendship parliamentarians’ groups will continue to be strengthened, particularly through promoting the exchange of young parliamentarians and female ones.

Sharon Claydon spoke highly of Việt Nam's contributions to Australia - ASEAN relations, especially the success of the recent Special Summit commemorating 50 years of the relations.

Recalling her meeting with Chairman Huệ during his visit, Claydon said that the two countries share a lot of common concerns, for the development of each country and for security, safety, stability and development in the region, especially in disease prevention, socio-economic development, education and training, energy transition, and development of offshore wind power.

PM Chính said the complex world situation with many unpredictable changes such as conflicts, strategic competition, climate change, and population aging are all global problems which need a global approach.

He said he hopes the two legislative bodies will continue to support each other for the development of each country and the two peoples, and for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The Vietnamese Government leader proposed the two sides cooperate to renew old growth drivers in investment, export, and consumption; and add new ones such as digital economy, green economy, circular economy and sharing economy. He suggested Australia continue to create conditions and provide scholarships for Vietnamese students, and have more open policies on labour and visa for Vietnamese people doing business and living in Australia.

He also urged Australia to consider and recognise the Vietnamese community in Australia as its ethnic minority. — VNS