Politics & Law
PM attends inauguration of upgraded statue of President Hồ Chí Minh in Santo Domingo
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| Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc reviews the guard of honour in Canberra on March 15 during his visit to Australia. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất |
Viet Nam News
CANBERRA — A grand welcome ceremony with cannon salute was held for Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc at the Parliament House on Capitol Hill in Canberra, Australia, on March 15.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by his spouse and a high-level Vietnamese delegation.
The welcome ceremony was chaired by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his spouse.
Following the ceremony, Phúc held talks with his Australian counterpart.
After the talks, the two Prime Ministers were witness to the signing of important bilateral cooperative agreements, including a joint statement on establishing the Việt Nam-Australia Strategic Partnership.
Phúc’s official visit to Australia comes in the context of thriving bilateral relations, especially after the two countries set up a Comprehensive Partnership in 2009 and inked a declaration on enhancing the partnership in 2015.
Two-way trade between Việt Nam and Australia grows over 7 per cent every year and reached nearly US$6.5 billion in 2017, up 22.2 per cent against 2016. Australia ranks 20th among 126 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian nation, with 412 projects valued at $1.8 billion. Meanwhile, Việt Nam has 44 projects worth $387.1 million in Australia.
Australia is currently among the largest non-refundable official development assistance providers to Việt Nam, with over AUD$110 million in aid every year since 2010.
Both countries have enjoyed strong cooperation in education, with a line-up of Australian scholarships granted to Vietnamese students every year. There are some 30,000 Vietnamese students in Australia. — VNS
