(VOVWORLD) -Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Wednesday begins an official visit to Australia to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit at the invitation of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. During the visit, the two countries elevate their relations to a Strategic Partnership.
 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
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Bilateral relations have developed rapidly since the two established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2009. They signed a Declaration on Enhancing the Comprehensive Partnership in 2015 and signed an Action Program for 2016-2019. Australia considers Vietnam its key partner in ASEAN, appreciates Vietnam’s role in ASEAN, and wants to establish a Vietnam-Australia Strategic Partnership.
Effectively promoting cooperative mechanisms
Vietnam and Australia have effectively promoted a number of bilateral cooperative mechanisms, including the Strategic Dialogue of Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the Human Rights Dialogue, the Consulate Consultancy, the High-level Consultancy on Official Development Assistance, the Trade and Economics Cooperative Committee, and the Joint Committee on Cooperation on Science and Technology.
Vietnam and Australia have exchanged delegations and signed cooperative agreements on fighting crimes, preventing illegal migration, and training English. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Peacekeeping and Landmine Clearance Training in 2016. Australian naval ships have visited Vietnam several times, most recently in June, 2017. Australia is the only country to establish a Joint Transnational Crime Prevention Centre with Vietnam to share intelligence and cooperate in terrorism, human-trafficking, and drug smuggling.
Australia is Vietnam’s 8th biggest trading partner with average bilateral trade revenue growing 7% annually. Last year’s trade revenue totaled 6.5 billion USD, 22% higher than in 2016. Vietnam’s exports to Australia earned 520 million USD, mainly from aquatic products. Vietnam has shipped to Australia litchi, mango, and dragon fruit and is preparing to obtain Australian licenses to export longan, rambutan, star-apple, and fresh unprocessed shrimp.
Australia has 412 investment projects in Vietnam worth 1.8 billion USD and ranks 20th among 126 countries and territories invested in Vietnam. Vietnam has 44 direct investment projects in Australia totaling 390 million USD.
Australia provides 100 scholarships to Vietnamese students annually. Some 30,000 Vietnamese students and researchers are currently studying in Australia. Universities in both countries are involved in 18 cooperative programs.
The two countries have implemented the Australia-Vietnam Innovation Partnership Program (Aus4Innovation), and Australia financed an “Innovation center responding to climate change” in Hanoi to assist startups in climate change and environmental protection.
Australia supported Vietnam’s initiatives during APEC Year 2017 and closely worked with Vietnam and Japan to reach the basic agreement of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Da Nang last November.
A new page in Vietnam-Australia relations
Strong commitments by leaders of the two countries and recent progress in bilateral relations provide momentum for further achievements.