Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn (left) and Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell had talks in Australia on Thursday. — Photo from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

SYDNEY — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn held a working session with Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell on Thursday, on the occasion of the former’s visit to Australia and his co-chairing of the 6th Việt Nam-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Sơn lauded Australia’s efforts to strengthen and diversify its economic relations with partners in Southeast Asia and with Việt Nam in particular, by implementing various practical initiatives and projects under Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

Speaking in Adelaide City, South Australia, he urged Farrell to continue supporting Australian businesses to invest in Việt Nam, especially in areas where Australia has strengths and Việt Nam has potential.

Sơn also suggested the two sides promote people-to-people exchanges and open more direct flights between the two countries.

For his part, Farrell stated that there is a large room and potential for Việt Nam and his country to expand their economic, trade and investment relations.

He emphasised the need for the two sides to effectively implement the Joint Statement on upgrading their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, especially the 'economic connectivity' pillar, with an aim to become each other’s top ten trade partners and doubling two-way investment capital as set in the Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES).

The Australian business community is increasingly interested in the Vietnamese market, he said, adding that the Vietnamese community in Australia has been making significant contributions to the socio-economic development of the Oceanian country and serving as an important bridge for bilateral cooperation.

According to Farrell, Australia will continue supporting Việt Nam in terms of high-quality infrastructure, digital infrastructure, climate-resilient infrastructure, agriculture and minerals. It will help develop small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and human resources. It will also strengthen collaboration with Việt Nam at multilateral trade mechanisms such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA).

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn spoke at the workshop hosted by the Australia - Việt Nam Policy Institute. — Photo from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

After the meeting with the Australian official, Sơn attended and delivered a speech at a workshop hosted by the Australia - Việt Nam Policy Institute (AVPI).

The Vietnamese official highlighted the AVPI's role in advising the leadership of the two sides to identify a "new mindset, new vision, and new actions" for the Việt Nam-Australia relations in the future, saying that the institute’s activities have contributed to promoting cooperation and exchanges and enhancing mutual understanding between the two countries.

Sơn affirmed that the Việt Nam-Australia relations are at their most beautiful stage, offering inspiring stories and at a new starting point, which opens up vast opportunities for stronger cooperation.

He expressed his hope that the two countries will continue to open their markets to maximise the benefits of the cooperation frameworks and new-generation FTAs that both are members.

Sơn urged Australian businesses to continue investing in Việt Nam in a quality and sustainable manner, particularly in the green and digital economy, the circular economy, innovation, semiconductor manufacturing, new energy, essential minerals, biotechnology, health care, high-tech agriculture and in training high-quality human resources.

Speaking at the event, Farrell emphasised that Australia considers the ASEAN an important economic partner of Australia and Việt Nam is one of Australia's priority focuses in the region.

Australia established a AUD2 billion (US$1.3 billion) fund to boost two-way trade and investment with Southeast Asia, he said, adding that it will continue to support the clean energy transition and infrastructure development in the region.

Earlier on the same day, Sơn visited the University of Adelaide in South Australia, one of the eight most prestigious universities in Australia.

At the meeting with the university's managers, lecturers and outstanding Vietnamese students, Sơn emphasised that education has served as a bridge between Việt Nam and Australia since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Now, it is one of the most important areas within the framework of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

He said that the joint statement on upgrading the two countries’ relations to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024 has opened up many opportunities for them to strengthen cooperation, especially in the field of education.

Sơn hoped that the University of Adelaide will consider increasing the number of scholarships for Vietnamese students, thereby supporting human resource training and capacity building for Vietnamese students. He hoped for partnerships and links with Vietnamese partners, including public and private universities, not only in education and training programmes, but also in research and innovation, especially in areas where the school has strengths such as science, programming, health and medicine, environment and climate change response.

He also hoped that the university will consider establishing Vietnamese study centres and its branches or research institutes in Việt Nam to promote bilateral cooperation in science and technology, especially in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, sustainable and green energy. — VNS