National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted separate receptions in Hanoi on April 25 for Australian Ambassadors to Viet Nam Craig Chittick.
Meeting the Australian ambassador, Chairwoman Ngan expressed her wish that Australia would continue helping Viet Nam improve capacity of its defence-security forces and consider expanding assistance in bomb and mine clearance and overcoming war consequences.
Describing education as a promising field with nearly 30,000 Vietnamese students studying in Australia, the chairwoman suggested Australia build training projects for Viet Nam in the fields of agriculture (training, technical assistance and technology transfer) as well as joint scientific research projects.
She hailed Australia’s increasing position in the world, and proposed the two nations continue mutual support at regional and global forums such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the United Nations (UN).
Chairwoman Ngan said the Vietnamese NA wants to share legislation experience with Australia and added that the Viet Nam- Australia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group has been established with Head of the NA Office as its chairman.
Ambassador Chittick, for his part, expressed his delight at the close coordination between the embassy and the Vietnamese legislature in gender equality promotion projects over the past years, adding that gender equality is a major priority in the embassy’s agenda.
The ambassador said he was satisfied with the bilateral cooperation with highlights featured in three partnership programmes on development and trade, security and innovation, adding that the embassy has contributed to the innovation partnership programme to boost innovation in Viet Nam.
On the East Sea issue, Chittick emphasised the importance of ensuring peace and stability as well as navigation and aviation safety, security and freedom in the East Sea. He also stressed the need to settle disputes through peaceful measures, respect diplomatic and legal processes, observe international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and not use force or threaten to use force.
The diplomat also affirmed that Australia is ready to work closely with Viet Nam to successfully organise APEC Year 2017 in the Southeast Asian country.