A high-ranking Australian delegation led by Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith concluded Vietnam visit from July 23-25 at the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
During the visit, Smith held talks with the top Vietnamese legislator Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, paid courtesy calls to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and met leaders of Ho Chi Minh City.
During meetings, both sides underscored the significance of the visit at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. In particular, the upgrade of bilateral ties to strategic partnership level in March 2018 has created a new important framework to push forward the deep and practical development of their ties.
The Vietnamese side expressed support to Australian firms to increase investments in the country, especially in the fields of high demand such as energy, telecommunications infrastructure, finance-banking, mining, engineering, high-tech agriculture, education, tourism, poverty reduction, climate change prevention and high-quality workforce training.
Vietnam spoke highly of Australia’s increasing role and responsibility for the region, particularly in post-disaster search and rescue, pledging that Vietnam will help boost ties between Australia and ASEAN as well as regional countries.
In order to further intensify links between the two legislatures, both sides will facilitate visits to share law-making and supervision experience, assist the two governments in effectively delivering on commitments under the 2016-2019 action plan and agreements reached during the visit, create more favourable conditions for people-to-people exchange, and uphold the role of friendship parliamentarians’ groups and friendship associations in each country.
They shared the significance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea and the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law.