Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng (left) meets with Australian PM Scott Morrison. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Linh

SYDNEY — Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng and Australian leaders agreed to enhance the two countries’ relations during their meeting on Monday in Sydney.

At the meeting with host PM Scott Morrison, Dũng expressed the Vietnamese Government and people’s sympathies for Australia over the losses caused by recent forest fires.

Valuing his guest’s visit from November 24 to 27, Morrison repeated the pledge by the two countries’ leaders to enhance the strategic partnership and comprehensive co-operation, especially in economy, security – defence, and people-to-people exchange.

On regional and international issues, both sides agreed to strengthen ties at multilateral forums, share common stances, and work together to promote peace and stability in the East Sea on the basis of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The same day, Deputy PM Dũng and his Australian counterpart Michael McCormack discussed the countries’ relations, as well as regional and international issues of shared concern.

They expressed delight at the development of Việt Nam – Australia relations, particularly since ties were lifted to a strategic partnership in March last year.

The Deputy PMs said both countries will co-ordinate to implement agreements between their leaders and the outcomes of the trip to Việt Nam by PM Morrison in August 2019, particularly the target that they become one of the top 10 trade partners of each other and double bilateral investment.

Dũng suggested high-ranking visits and meetings be maintained; the mechanism of annual meetings between their senior leaders be carried out soon; bilateral co-operation mechanisms be implemented regularly, especially at the newly-established foreign, defence and economic ministerial level; and an action programme for implementing the strategic partnership for 2020-23 be built soon.

He also appreciated the Australian government’s maintenance of development assistance for Việt Nam, including in infrastructure development, human resources training, poverty reduction, rural development, and climate change response.

The official expressed his hope that Australian businesses will invest more in other fields that match their country’s strength and Việt Nam’s demand like energy, mining, digital economy, telecommunications and tourism.

The two Deputy PMs agreed to increase experience sharing and boost ties in transport development, urban planning, and environmental protection.

McCormack promised to consider Việt Nam’s proposal about the review and amendment of the 1995 air transport agreement to open more direct routes between the two sides.

He also vowed to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Australia, contributing to each country’s development as well as bilateral friendship.

Discussing regional and global issues, the Deputy PMs noted with satisfaction their countries’ fruitful co-operation at multilateral forums, particularly the UN, ASEAN-led mechanisms, and regional free trade agreements, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

They agreed on the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, along with the respect for law, in the East Sea.

McCormack said Australia will support Việt Nam when the latter serves as ASEAN Chair in 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-21.

At the meetings with Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews and Minister for Agriculture Bridget McKenzie, Deputy PM Dũng asked agencies of the countries to work closer to better connections in scientific research, innovation, and intellectual property.

McKenzie pledged to consider Việt Nam’s proposal about the facilitation of Vietnamese agro-aquatic products’ access to the Australian market.

She said she and her Vietnamese counterpart will discuss this matter and other issues at their meeting in Australia in February 2020. — VNS