(VOVworld) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in Hanoi on Tuesday.

The two diplomats agreed to increase visit exchanges and finalize the 2014-2016 action plan to expand cooperation in politics, security, national defense, trade, investment, development assistance, education and training, tourism, and labor. They also discussed regional and global issues of mutual concern and pledged support for one another in regional and global forums such as EAS, ARF, and TPP. The diplomats stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability and cooperation in the East Sea, ensuring maritime safety and security, implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and quickly formulating a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC). Minister Julie Bishop said that the new government of Australia continues to consider Vietnam one of its key partners in Asia-Pacific. Minister Minh reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of developing the comprehensive partnership with Australia and asked Australia to support Vietnam’s efforts to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.