Viet Nam, Australia eye closer ties in economy, trade, investment
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh wished that Viet Nam will become one of Australia’s ten largest trade partners and vice versa at a reception for visiting Australian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan in Ha Noi on July 13.
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| Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh (right) hosts a reception for visiting the Australian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan in Ha Noi on July 13. (Photo: VNA) |
Welcoming Tehan, Minh spoke highly of Australia’s response to COVID-19 and its adaptation to the “new normal,” resulting in economic recovery and heightened position at the international stage.
He expressed his delight at the strong development of the Viet Nam-Australia strategic partnership in multiple fields, particularly economy, trade and investment - the focus of the bilateral strategic partnership.
He cited that two-way trade rocketed by more than 40 percent year on year in the first half of 2021.
Given that both countries are signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), he hoped that Viet Nam and Australia will be among the ten largest trade partners of each other.
The Deputy PM suggested Australia give Vietnamese shrimp balls and passion fruit access to its market while showing Viet Nam’s interest in importing ore, coal, iron and steel, and rare earth from the country.
He also appreciated Australia’s role in the Asia-Pacific region and its stance in maintaining regional peace, security and stability, particularly in the East Sea, in line with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
He moved on to thank the Government of Australia for supporting Viet Nam in its roles as ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and pledging to provide the Southeast Asian nation with 40 million AUD (29.9 million USD) and 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine Astra Zeneca to aid its COVID-19 fight. He hoped for Australia’s continued support for COVAX vaccine-sharing facility and for poor and developing countries to access COVID-19 vaccine supply.
Also pleased to see the growing bilateral ties, Minister Tehan said Australia is committed to cooperating with Viet Nam in tackling challenges from the pandemic.
He asked the Government of Viet Nam to back the Australia-Viet Nam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES) and continue fostering bilateral trade and investment relations, with the focus placed on food security, water resources and high technology.
Tehan is on his first visit to Viet Nam, one of the destinations during his two-week tour of five countries, also including Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Japan and the US. These are Australia’s important partners, accounting for around one-fourth of its goods and service export turnover.
(Source: VNA)
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