(VOVWORLD) - In 1973, Vietnam and Australia formally established diplomatic relations, making Australia the first industrialized nation to do so following the signing of the Paris Agreement. Over the past 5 decades, bilateral ties have grown strongly with landmarks such as the Australia-funded My Thuan bridge; RMIT, the first foreign universitY in Vietnam; and ANZ, the first international bank in Vietnam. All this information and more is recorded in the monograph “50 Years of Vietnam-Australia Relations: Enhancing an increasingly comprehensive strategic relationship based on equality and mutual trust” by Dr. Nguyen Hong Hai, a senior lecturer at VinUniversity.
 (Photo: Bao Tram) |
Published by the National Political Publishing House – Su That – on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic relations, the bilingual book provides a comprehensive view of bilateral ties between Vietnam and Australia over the past five decades and will be a valuable reference for charting the direction of the relationship in the next five decades.
“If you take into account Australia’s involvement in Vietnam’s resistance war against the US, and the differences between the two countries’ political institutions, and compare that with what has happened in the relationship over the years, you’ll realize just how special it is. It was special from the beginning. That’s why I wanted to write a book to help people understand how the relationship evolved over 50 years and in what way it is special. To be honest, not everyone in the diplomatic field knows that. The 50-year journey has been a long one,” Dr. Hai described how he came to write the book.
The book is organized in three parts. The first part provides an overview of 50 years of Australia-Vietnam relations, from the establishment of diplomatic relations to the current comprehensive strategic partner relationship.
 (Photo: Bao Tram) |
The second part presents an album of photos that mark memorable milestones in the bilateral relationship from 1973 to the present.
“Photos like these were not easy to find – even from the sources we usually think or hope will preserve such documentation. Only a few sources still had such photos,” said Dr. Hai.
The third part reproduces selected articles on the Vietnam-Australia relationship written by Dr. Hai and published in online outlets.
Mr. Hai says he feels lucky to have received timely support from multiple agencies and friends, who helped him access a rich trove of information and photographs to successfully complete his 244-page book.
“It wasn’t easy at all when I began writing the book. The problem was finding proper materials and deciding how to write about the relationship, especially the early period when the two first established diplomatic relations,” said Mr. Hai, adding, “Because a book needs references and documentation to prove the reality and accuracy of its claims, I was initially worried about finding the necessary source materials from 50 years ago.”
 (Photo: Bao Tram) |
The book’s appendixes summarize the chronology of milestones in the 50-year relationship; list bilateral agreements, cooperation mechanisms, dialogues, and joint statements that shaped the relationship; and lists the ambassadors who have served in both countries.