Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (left) and President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines in Hà Nội on Wednesday. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Wednesday received President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines during her visit to Việt Nam to attend the state funeral for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

During the reception, PM Chính sincerely thanked the guest, leaders, the Government and people of Australia for sending their condolences to the Government and people of Việt Nam over the passing of the Party leader.

The Senate President's presence at the funeral shows the close affection between the leaders and people of the two countries, and is a vivid demonstration of the strong development of the Việt Nam-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership, Chính said.

During his lifetime, General Secretary Trọng strongly supported the lifting of the two countries' relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, he added.

On this occasion, the two leaders discussed main directions on the cooperation between the two countries and agreed to continue promoting key areas of cooperation, including traditional areas such as politics, defence - security, economy - trade - investment, people-to-people exchange, science - technology as well as new fields like climate change response, just energy transition, digital transformation, digital economy, circular economy and mining, further strengthening strategic trust and matching the bilateral relationship and the wishes of the leaders and people of the two countries.

The Prime Minister also asked the Australian Government and Parliament to continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live and work in Australia as well as facilitate the issuance of visas for Vietnamese citizens, especially students.

For her part, Sue Lines extended her sympathy to the Party, State and people of Việt Nam as well as the family of General Secretary Trọng.

She appreciated the affection and political trust the Party General Secretary given to the development of the Việt Nam-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership as well as his legacies, especially the "bamboo diplomacy" policy.

She believed that on the foundation of the good relationship, the two countries will make it increasingly sustainable as wished by the Party leader. VNS