Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne witness MoU signing (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) –
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and his Australian counterpart Marise
Payne co-chaired the annual third Vietnam – Australia Foreign Ministers’
Meeting in Hanoi on November 9.
Both sides shared the view that the Vietnam-Australia Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, which was adopted by the two PMs on the sidelines of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-26), plays an important role in
realising the goal of turning both nations into one of the top 10 trade partners
of each other and doubling two-way trade.
Australia will
enhance investment and assist Vietnam in innovation, green and sustainable
growth, and hi-tech agriculture while maintaining official development assistance for the Southeast Asian nation.
On labour
collaboration, Australia will consider applying “agriculture passport” for
Vietnamese workers.
They also pledged
to reinforce defence ties and activities in the United Nations peacekeeping mission.
About education-training, Payne
affirmed that Australia will offer more scholarships to Vietnamese students,
and consider allowing fully vaccinated Vietnamese students to return to
Australia for study.
As regards to joint work against
COVID-19 pandemic, she said the Australian Government committed 5.2 million
vaccine doses to Vietnam and additional 2.6 million on the occasion, bringing
the total to 7.8 million. She added that Australia will deliver 700,000 doses
to Vietnam in coming weeks.
On regional and global issues of
shared concern, Payne affirmed that Vietnam will continue stepping up
collaboration for the sustainable development ot the Greater Mekong Sub-region,
especially in climate change response.
She expressed support for Vietnam’s
organisation of the ASEAN Forum on Sub-regional Cooperation for sustainable
development and inclusive growth later this month.
Sharing viewpoints and stances on
the East Sea issue, the two ministers stated that disputes need to be addressed
peacefully on the basis of respect for international law, especially the 1982
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
On the occasion, they witnessed
the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two
foreign ministries, and a ceremony to present awards to four Vietnamese firms in a green
growth business partnership programme launched by the Australian Department of
Foreign Affairs and Trade./.
