Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn. — VNA/VNS Photo

SYDNEY — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn will pay a visit to Australia and co-chair the 6th Việt Nam-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting from October 16-19, at the invitation of Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s resident reporters in Sydney on the threshold of Sơn’s trip, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Phạm Hùng Tâm said that the meeting is one of the five ministerial-level cooperation mechanisms between the two countries, playing a very important role in promoting their collaboration within the bilateral framework, especially in the political and diplomatic fields, as well as at regional and international forums. Coinciding with this event, the two sides will also hold the 4th Ministerial-level Việt Nam-Australia Economic Partnership Meeting.

Sơn’s working trip is a specific step in implementing the significant results achieved during Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's official visit to Australia in March 2024, during which the two countries elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Tâm said.

Within the framework of the meeting, the two sides will discuss measures to promote the bilateral cooperation, including in digital transformation, green transition, and climate change adaptation; work towards finalising an action programme for the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new phase, which encompasses all key areas of cooperation.

Additionally, the two sides will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, contributing to strengthening coordination between the two countries at multilateral forums amidst fluctuations in the regional and international situation.

According to the ambassador, the Deputy PM and FM’s visit takes place in the context that the Việt Nam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is developing strongly and rapidly across all six key areas that PM Chính outlined during his visit to Australia.

High-level visits and exchanges at various levels have continued to be maintained regularly, with the most recent being the official visit to Việt Nam by Australian Senate President Sue Lines, as well as visits to Australia by Minister of Public Security Lương Tâm Quang, and Deputy Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyễn Thị Thanh.

Two-way trade hit US$9.6 billion in the first eight months of 2024, of which Việt Nam's exports rose by 27.3 per cent year-on-year, much higher than the country's average export growth of 15.8 per cent.

People-to-people exchanges are becoming increasingly vibrant. The number of Australian tourists to Việt Nam in the January-August period surpassed 300,000. Australia was the first country to send relief aid and has provided Việt Nam with more than A$3 million ($2 million) to help the country mitigate the consequences of Typhoon Yagi.

Cooperation in defence and security has also made positive new strides. The two sides recently successfully held the first Ministerial Security Dialogue in Canberra, Australia. Vessel 18 of Brigade 171 of Naval Region 2 participated in Exercise Kakadu 2024 organised by the Royal Australian Navy last month.

During his stay in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, Sơn will have a meeting and then co-chair the 6th Việt Nam-Australia Foreign Ministers' Meeting with Penny Wong. He will also meet South Australia Governor Frances Adamson, receive Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell, attend and deliver a speech at the Australia-Việt Nam Policy Institute Conference 2024, visit the University of Adelaide, and meet with Vietnamese lecturers and students at the university. — VNS