Vietnam, Australia Hold Seventh Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Hanoi
Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday co-chaired the seventh Vietnam–Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Hanoi.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the implementation of the Vietnam–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.
The two ministers expressed satisfaction with the growing development of bilateral relations since the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, highlighting that cooperation has been carried out comprehensively and effectively across all six pillars, producing tangible outcomes. Political relations, high-level exchanges, and regular dialogue mechanisms have been actively maintained, including the first Senior Officials’ Dialogue between the two foreign ministries and the 10th Foreign and Defence Strategic Dialogue held earlier this month.
Building on progress in economic relations, including the opening of markets for Australian plums and Vietnamese passion fruit and a 2.3 percent increase in bilateral trade in 2024, the two sides agreed to further strengthen trade and investment ties. They set a target of raising two-way trade to US$20 billion and doubling investment in line with the Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy.
Deputy Prime Minister Sơn welcomed Australia’s acceleration of its Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 in Vietnam and suggested advancing cooperation in science, technology, and innovation through joint research projects. Minister Wong reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to facilitating investment in Vietnam, particularly in high-tech sectors, and proposed expanding collaboration in climate change, green growth, energy transition, digital transformation, and innovation.
Wong also confirmed that Australia will continue supporting Vietnam in research and development of green technologies, energy and digital infrastructure, as well as capacity building and workforce development through official development assistance (ODA) projects and investments. In response, Sơn welcomed Australia’s recent ODA commitments, including a A$50 million (US$32.2 million) package for projects across the Mekong sub-region.
Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues, agreeing to enhance coordination to contribute to peace, stability, and cooperation in the region. They pledged closer cooperation at multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations and ASEAN. Wong reaffirmed Australia’s strong support for ASEAN centrality and sustainable development in the Mekong sub-region.
On the East Sea (South China Sea), the two ministers underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, freedom of navigation and overflight, and full respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
At the conclusion of the meeting, both ministers agreed to issue a Joint Press Release and exchanged diplomatic notes establishing a mechanism for regular foreign policy consultations between their ministries.
Later in the afternoon, Sơn and Wong visited the Vietnam National Museum of History.
