Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh meets Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne in Hà Nội yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh has praised the visit to Việt Nam by Marise Payne following her reappointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs cum Minister for Women of Australia.

He said the visit proves the Australian government’s appreciation for Việt Nam and substantial ties between the two nations. 
During talks in Hà Nội on Wednesday with the Australian Minister, Deputy PM Minh thanked the Pacific country for maintaining the supply of development assistance to Việt Nam, saying it has contributing to Vietnam’s socio-economic development. 
Payne said Australia considers Việt Nam one of its key partners in Southeast Asia and wants to further propel bilateral ties, both within bilateral and multilateral frameworks. 
Both sides agreed to facilitate high-level visits in the near future, upholding 19 bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially annual meetings between the two defence and foreign ministers, and the first ministerial-level Economic Partnership Meeting this year. 
They vowed to enhance coordination in maritime security, fight against trans-national and drug crimes as well as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. 
Highlighting the importance of trade liberalisation and the role of multilateral trade system, amid rising protectionism and trade conflict, they promised to tap each other’s potential and strengths to deepen economic links along with trade agreements to which the two nations are members, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). 
Minh asked Australia to step up safety approval and open the market for several Vietnamese farm produce and aquatic products, especially longans and shrimps. 
They pledged to boost links in other important fields such as education-training, labour, innovation, smart agriculture, and people-to-people exchange. 
On regional and global issues, Payne congratulated Việt  Nam on winning a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2020-2021 tenure with high approval votes. 
Australia highly values Việt Nam’s role in the region and ASEAN, strongly supports the bloc’s central role in evolving regional architecture, she said, adding she believes Việt Nam will successfully fulfill its tasks in the UNSC as well as in its position as ASEAN Chair 2020. 
They highlighted the significance of ensuring peace, stability, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the East Sea as well as the settlement of disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and early formulation of a practical, effective and comprehensive Code of Conduct in the East Sea. 
The two ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding on improving women empowerment in external affairs amid global integration and digital era. 
They also witnessed the presentation of the Vietnamese State’s Friendship Order to the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research in recognition of its active contributions to Việt Nam’s agriculture and rural development.

Important partner

Việt Nam is an important partner of Australia in the region, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Marise Payne said at a meeting with Minister of National Defence Gen. Ngô Xuân Lịch in Hà Nội on Wednesday.
Lịch said Việt Nam-Australia cooperative relations and defence ties have witnessed positive development, especially after the two nations elevated the bilateral relationship to the level of strategic partnership.
The minister stressed that in 2018, Việt Nam and Australia organised a range of practical activities to mark the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 20th anniversary of defence ties, including the signing of the Declaration on Joint Visions for Enhancing Defence Cooperation by the two defence ministers during his official visit to Australia.
Payne pledged to continue assisting Việt Nam in United Nations peacekeeping operations. Besides training courses, Australia will send aircraft to fly Vietnamese military officers of the second level-2 field hospital to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan to replace the staff of the first level-2 field hospital later this year, she said.
Regarding cooperation within multilateral frameworks, the two ministers agreed to maintain consultations and close coordination through regional mechanisms led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN-Australia Forum.
Lịch said Việt Nam wants to consult with Australia to reach common consensus when the country assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship and hosts activities within the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) in 2020. — VNS