HÀ NỘI – National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân hosted separate receptions in Hà Nội yesterday for Australian and New Zealand Ambassadors to Việt Nam, Craig Chittick and Wendy Matthews.

On meeting the Australian ambassador, Chairwoman Ngân expressed her hope that Australia would continue helping Việt Nam improve the capacity of its defence-security forces and consider expanding assistance in bomb and mine clearance and overcoming the consequences of war.

Describing education as a promising field with nearly 30,000 Vietnamese students studying in Australia, the chairwoman suggested Australia develop training projects for Việt Nam in the fields of agriculture (training, technical assistance and technology transfer) as well as joint scientific research projects.

She hailed Australia’s increasing position in the world, and proposed the two nations continue mutual support at regional and global forums such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum and the United Nations (UN).

Chairwoman Ngân said the Vietnamese NA wants to share legislation experience with Australia and added that the Việt Nam-Australia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group has been established with Head of the NA Office as its chairman.

Ambassador Chittick, for his part, expressed his delight at the close co-ordination between the embassy and the Vietnamese legislature in gender equality promotion projects over the past years, adding that gender equality is a major priority in the embassy’s agenda.

The ambassador said he was satisfied with the bilateral co-operation with highlights featured in three partnership programmes on development and trade, security and innovation, adding that the embassy has contributed to the innovation partnership programme to boost innovation in Việt Nam.

On the East Sea issue, Chittick emphasised the importance of ensuring peace and stability as well as navigation and aviation safety, security and freedom in the East Sea. He also stressed the need to settle disputes through peaceful measures, respect diplomatic and legal processes, observe international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and not use force or threaten to use force.

The diplomat also affirmed that Australia is ready to work closely with Việt Nam to successfully host the APEC Year 2017.

While receiving New Zealand Ambassador Matthews, Chairwoman Ngân hoped that New Zealand would continue assisting Việt Nam in promoting sustainable development, particularly in remote and mountainous areas, enhancing gender equality, climate change adaptation and disaster risk management.

Speaking highly of New Zealand’s English training courses for Vietnamese lawmakers, she expressed a desire that the two sides would intensify links between the NA’s committees and friendship parliamentarians’ groups as well as closely coordinate at global inter-parliamentary forums, especially at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly.

The chairwoman suggested the two nations regularly maintain the exchange of delegations and meetings as well as people-to-people exchanges and strengthen co-operation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, agriculture, education, science and technology.

Ambassador Matthews noted that the two countries’ senior leaders have pledged to reinforce the bilateral comprehensive partnership, not only in trade and education, but also in other areas.

The diplomat said that, as coastal nations, both New Zealand and Việt Nam respect international law, which she said, plays an important role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. — VNS