ASEAN leaders, including Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne on March 5, 2024. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's official visits to Australia and New Zealand (March 4-12) were successful in all aspects, marking significant milestones in Việt Nam's relations with the two countries, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn.

In an interview granted to press agencies, Minister Sơn highlighted the significance of the visits, saying that they represent a concrete step in implementing the foreign policy set by the 13th National Party Congress, which includes further strengthening and deepening relations with partners, especially strategic, comprehensive and important partners, and traditional friends.

These were PM Chính's first visits to Australia and New Zealand in his new position, and also the visits by a Vietnamese PM to the two countries in seven years, the diplomat noted.

In Australia, Chính and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese announced the elevation of the Việt Nam-Australia relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

They agreed to closely coordinate to implement six major directions, including strengthening political trust and strategic diplomacy. Others include more practical and effective cooperation in economy, trade, and investment; and in science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transition. More comprehensive cooperation in culture is also in the cards, along with collaboration in education, training, environmental protection, and climate change adaptation. The two sides will strive for stronger people-to-people exchanges and connections between generations, as well as security and defence cooperation.

PM Chính had meetings with Australian Governor-General David Hurley, President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines, and leader of the Liberal Party of Australia (LPA) Peter Dutton. He received Deputy Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives and Chairperson of the Australia-Việt Nam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group Sharon Claydon, and many other Australian leaders.

He attended and delivered speeches at Việt Nam-Australia business and education forums, participated in a ceremony to inaugurate the Australia-Việt Nam Policy Institute at RMIT University, visited education-training facilities, and met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in the country.

During the visit, ministries and sectors of the two countries' signed 13 cooperation deals in different fields. Meanwhile, universities of the two sides inked nine cooperation agreements, Sơn said.

In New Zealand, PM Chính held talks with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon; and met with senior leaders of the country. The two sides agreed to strengthen political trust, mutual understanding, and cooperation in trade, agriculture, education, people-to-people exchange, thus opening up opportunities for cooperation in new areas such as climate change adaptation and digital transformation, Son said.

The two sides also agreed to together boost trade promotion activities towards lifting two-way trade to US$2 billion this year, and take measures to increase bilateral investment to $500 million by 2030. They also committed to contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

On this occasion, ministries and sectors of Việt Nam and New Zealand signed three cooperation agreements in the fields of education, economy-trade, and finance, which serve as a foundation and prerequisite for specific and effective cooperation between the two countries' ministries and sectors in the coming years, contributing to the stable and sustainable development of the Việt Nam-New Zealand strategic partnership.

According to Minister Sơn, both Australia and New Zealand highly valued Việt Nam's increasing position and role in the region and the world. They agreed to continue collaborating with and supporting each other at regional and international forums for the benefit of their people, as well as for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

Regarding the outcomes of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, Sơn called it a “golden milestone” in the bilateral relationship as it set out cooperation orientations for the new period.

The summit is a testament to the growing value and importance of ASEAN, as well as the importance partners attach to the grouping’s role and position, the minister continued.

The two sides consented to promote the culture of dialogue and cooperation, trust building, conflict prevention, and the role of international law and multilateralism in conduct and cooperation in dealing with common challenges.

The leaders emphasised the role of peace, stability, security and safety of aviation and overflight in the East Sea, and the peaceful settlement of conflicts on the basis of international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The summit adopted the “ASEAN-Australia Leaders’ Vision Statement – Partners for Peace and Prosperity” and the “Melbourne Declaration – A Partnership for the Future,” Sơn said, calling them a foundation for the implementation of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership in the time ahead.

Notably, PM Chính's remarks were highly valued by other countries as the Vietnamese leader reviewed the ASEAN-Australia relationship over the past 50 years, and raised initiatives to boost the ties in the time ahead.

Delegates were also impressed by proposals put forward by the Vietnamese leader to create breakthroughs in economy, trade, and investment cooperation; human resources development, and cooperation on science, technology, and innovation; and to strengthen political trust and cooperation in ensuring global peace and security, promote cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchange.

PM Chính urged ASEAN and Australia to join hands to promote a region that respects and acts on international law, with countries complying with the UN Charter and international law, and jointly shaping an open and inclusive regional structure, heightening multilateralism with ASEAN playing a central role.

Việt Nam's participation in the summit contributed to highlighting Việt Nam's role in ASEAN-Australia relations, and promoting the substantive and effective development of the Việt Nam-Australia bilateral relationship in the future, FM Son said.

On the sidelines of the summit, PM Chính met with all senior leaders of ASEAN member countries, Timor-Leste, Australia, New Zealand, and the ASEAN Secretary-General. These partners hailed Việt Nam's role and position and expressed their desire to further deepen the relationship in all areas with Việt Nam. — VNS