(VOVWORLD) - During the plenary session of a Special Summit in Melbourne on Wednesday commemorating 50 years of ASEAN-Australia relations, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh outlined major orientations for ASEAN and Australia to make crucial breakthroughs in their cooperation partnership.
 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the plenary session of a Special Summit to commemorate 50 years of ASEAN-Australia relations. |
Mr. Chinh welcomed Australia's announcement of an additional allocation of 146 million USD to strengthen the Mekong sub-region, the establishment of a 1.3-billion-USD investment fund, and many other initiatives to promote trade and investment with ASEAN countries.
To further foster bilateral cooperation, PM Chinh proposed that ASEAN and Australia make a breakthrough in economic, trade, and investment cooperation, striving to double their two-way trade turnover in the next 10 years.
He underscored the need for both sides to achieve a breakthrough in human resource development cooperation, especially high-quality human resources and labour cooperation.
Another major breakthrough for ASEAN and Australia will be in science- technology and innovation cooperation, with focus on developing the digital economy, green transformation, the circular economy, and emerging industries like semiconductors and AI, toward negotiating a digital economy agreement between the two.
 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and heads of delegations and ASEAN Secretary-General take a group photo after attending a retreat meeting of the Special Summit. |
Mr. Chinh proposed that ASEAN and Australia enhance political trust and cooperation to ensure regional peace and security; uphold a culture of dialogue and cooperation; promote confidence-building and preventive diplomacy; and encourage countries to make responsible contributions to the region.
He underscored the need for both sides to enhance sub-regional cooperation and narrow the development gap for inclusive and sustainable development, especially in strategic infrastructure connection projects, helping to create positive socio-economic changes in poor and underdeveloped sub-regions of ASEAN.
He proposed strengthening cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges by fully tapping the strength of people in ASEAN countries, including 350,000 Vietnamese expatriates in Australia, to promote understanding, empathy, and cohesion, thereby strengthening the relationship’s strong, long-term social foundation.