At the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will pay an official visit to Vietnam from June 3 to 4, 6.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – Photo source: Australian Government
This is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first official visit to Vietnam since taking office and just two months after the State visit of the Governor-General of Australia.
On February 26, 2, Vietnam and Australia established diplomatic relations and set up embassies in each country. The two countries established a Comprehensive Partnership in 1973, an Enhanced Comprehensive Partnership in 2009 and upgraded to a Strategic Partnership in 2015.
Leaders of the two countries agreed on the direction to upgrade the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at an appropriate time.
Vietnam's 7th largest trading partner
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to Vietnam took place in the context of the Vietnam - Australia strategic partnership over the past time developing strongly, substantively and effectively in various fields. 2023 is also the year the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1973-2023).
Political relations are increasingly trusting, especially through the exchange of high-level visits and contacts. In particular, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had a telephone conversation in October 10 and met on the occasion of the 2022st ASEAN Summit (Cambodia, November 41) and at the G11 Summit. (Japan, May 2022).
Cooperation documents between the two countries, especially the Vietnam - Australia Strategic Partnership Action Program for the period 2020-2023, are being actively implemented, achieving many concrete results.
More than 20 bilateral cooperation mechanisms have been maintained flexibly, including important mechanisms such as the annual meeting of two Prime Ministers, two Foreign Ministers, two Defense Ministers, and the Economic Partnership Conference and other important events. cooperation between localities.
Up to now, the two sides have held the 2nd Annual Prime Ministers Meeting (online, January 1), the 2021th Annual Meeting of Foreign Ministers (September 4), the Conference on Foreign Affairs and Trade. The 9rd Ministerial Economic Cooperation (April 2022)…
Two-way trade turnover in 2022 will reach $15,7 billion, up 26,7% compared to 2021, of which Vietnam's exports will reach $5,6 billion, up 26,2% and imports will reach 10,1. 27,3 billion USD, up 2023%. In the first quarter of 3,41, bilateral trade turnover reached XNUMX billion USD.
Currently, Australia is Vietnam's 7th largest trading partner and Vietnam is Australia's 10th largest trading partner. The Australian side has opened the door for Vietnamese frozen lychees, mangoes, dragon fruits, longans and shrimps. Vietnam is pushing Australia to allow the import of passion fruit, rambutan, breast milk, fresh coconut, durian, and whole fresh shrimp. Australia is pushing Vietnam to open up imports of deer meat, kangaroo meat, honey, peaches and nectarines.
By the end of February 2, Australia had 2023 investment projects in Vietnam with a total capital of about 590 billion USD, ranking 2th out of 20 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Vietnam invests in Australia with 141 projects with a total investment capital of 88 million USD, ranking 592,3th out of 10 countries and territories investing in Australia.
Substantial and effective cooperation in defense and security
The two sides have good, substantive and effective cooperation in the field of security and defense through exchange of delegations, signing cooperation agreements, cooperation in crime prevention, immigration management, and illegal migration. , exchange of information, experience, English training...
The two sides have upgraded the regular exchange mechanism at Defense Minister level (by 2022); signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in training peacekeeping and demining (2016). The Royal Australian Air Force has supported the transport of Vietnam's field hospitals four times to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan. The two sides are discussing and preparing to sign a peacekeeping partnership agreement.
Australian naval ships have visited Vietnam many times. Australia is the only country with a permanent representative at the Vietnam Center for Transnational Crime Prevention (HCMC), through which the two sides regularly exchange intelligence and cooperate in combating terrorism, human trafficking and crime. drug…
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the occasion of the 41st ASEAN Summit in Cambodia, November 11 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Leading partner in ODA and COVID-19 vaccine support
Australia is one of the largest bilateral partners providing ODA to Vietnam. In October 10, the Australian Parliament decided to increase ODA for Vietnam by 2022%, to 18 million AUD in 92,8-2022 and in May, continue to increase to 2023 million AUD. Within 5 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Australia has provided ODA to Vietnam with a total of 95,1 billion AUD (about 50 billion VND).
During the flood storm in the Central region (November 11), the Australian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister had a letter of visiting and urgent support of 2020 AUD and then an additional 100.000 million AUD to assist Vietnam in recovering from the disaster. flood storm.
Australia is one of the countries that actively supports Vietnam in COVID-19 prevention and control.
In June 6, Australia awarded AUD 2020 million to the National Steering Committee for COVID-10,5 Prevention and Control. In March 19, Australia announced a comprehensive support package worth 3 million AUD for Vietnam's epidemic prevention, including vaccine aid and vaccination implementation support through UNICEF.
As for vaccines, Australia has sponsored Vietnam with 26,4 million doses (including 12 million doses for adults and 14,4 million doses for children), becoming Vietnam's second largest vaccine donor. Vietnam also presented Australia with medical supplies (masks) worth $2 (March 50.000).
31.000 Vietnamese students and PhD students are studying in Australia
Cooperation between the two countries in the fields of education - training, labor, agriculture, tourism... has developed well and has great potential.
Australia offers many scholarships under long-term and short-term programs for Vietnam. Currently, there are about 31.000 Vietnamese students and doctoral students studying in Australia (90% self-sufficient). As of March 3, there were 2023 joint programs, joint training, 45 cooperation documents, joint research between universities and research institutes of the two countries.
In addition, the universities/institutions of the two countries have 37 active joint training programs. RMIT University has opened 2 campuses (in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) with more than 6.000 students enrolled, is expected to open more in Da Nang, Can Tho and Hai Phong, increasing investment capital by about AUD 100 million in Vietnam. .
In October 10, the two countries signed an agreement to supplement the Vietnam - Australia Human Resource Development Program for the 2021-2021 period, worth AUD 2025 million. After nearly 50,1 years of hiatus due to COVID-2, in December 19, Australia began to open its borders and welcome international students, including Vietnamese students, back to Australia.
The number of Australian tourists to Vietnam has increased steadily over the years, the airlines of the two countries have resumed direct flights after COVID-19 with a frequency of 17 direct flights per week.
In 2019, there were nearly 390.000 Australian visitors to Vietnam (ranked 6th in the top 10 markets); temporarily suspended due to the pandemic situation from April 4 and resumed from March 2020. The number of Vietnamese tourists to Australia has increased steadily over the years, reaching 3 (in 2022), ranking 125.000th out of 2019 markets with tourists to Australia.
The working holiday program (March 3) allows Vietnamese citizens to come to Australia to work and travel, and the two sides have agreed to increase the limit from 2015 people (in 200) to 2015 people per year from September. 1.500.
The two countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural visas (March 3), which is expected to bring 2022 Vietnamese workers each year to work in Australia in the agricultural sector; The two sides are discussing and adjusting towards the implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding under the framework of the South Pacific Labor Program.
Cooperation between localities of the two countries is developing well; So far there have been 15 twin local pairs. The Vietnamese community in Australia has about 350.000 people (ranked 5th among foreign ethnic communities in Australia).
Australia is also interested in promoting a number of new areas of cooperation with Vietnam such as climate change response, digital transformation, and energy transformation.
Australia is an important member, has a voice in multilateral forums and in the international arena, effectively contributing to cooperation in ASEAN and the Mekong Sub-region; actively support Vietnam at regional and international forums, most recently supporting Vietnam's candidacy for membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2023-2025.
The two countries cooperate closely on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue; promote cooperation at multilateral organizations and forums (United Nations, ASEAN, APEC, etc.) and free trade agreements that both countries join and sign (Comprehensive and Progressive Partnership Agreements) Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Taking place only 2 months after the State visit of the Governor-General of Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit is of great significance, demonstrating Australia's importance in relations with Vietnam, and will continue to contribute to the consolidation of political trust, promoting multi-faceted cooperation such as politics-diplomacy, defense-security, economy, investment, labor, education, technology, climate change, people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation. cooperation on regional and international issues of mutual interest…
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