(VOVworld) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited Australia from March 16 to 18. During talks on Wednesday, Prime Minister Dung and Prime Minister Tony Abbott discussed many important issues including trade, investment, education, development cooperation, national defense, the East Sea issue, and the two countries’ commitments to increasing the strategic role of the East Asia Summit. The two prime ministers witnessed the signing of a joint statement on strengthening the Vietnamese-Australian comprehensive partnership, which set a high-level strategic agenda for any future development of relationships. The statement refers to regional and global cooperation, trade, investment, and industrial development, development cooperation, and cooperation in national defense, security, and law enforcement. They also stressed the importance of political connectivity including the exchange of regular high-level visits. They agreed to continue efforts to quickly complete negotiations on the Trans-pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Australia is ready to support Vietnam in hosting APEC meetings in 2017. The two prime ministers called on all parties to fully comply with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and refrain from actions that might escalate tensions in the region, including the use of force to unilaterally change the status quo. The two prime ministers agreed on the need to establish a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

During his visit, Prime Minister Dung met with the speakers from Australia’s Upper and Lower Houses and the opposition party. In Sydney, he held talks with Australia’s Governor General and the Governor of New South Wales. He also chaired a dialogue with Vietnamese and Australian businesses in Sydney. The Australian Prime Minister accepted Prime Minister Dung’s invitation to visit Vietnam.