On the morning of March 4, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife, Le Thi Bich Tran, along with a high-level delegation from Vietnam, left the capital city of Hanoi to attend the ASEAN – Australia Commemorative Summit celebrating the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia relations. They will also make official visits to Australia and New Zealand from March 5 to March 11, 2024, at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
The official delegation accompanying Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh includes: Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son; Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son; Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan; Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son; Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat; Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan; Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Hong (joining the delegation in Australia); Vice Minister of Defense Hoang Xuan Chien; Vice Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang; Deputy Head of the Central Committee’s Foreign Affairs Department Truong Quang Hoai Nam; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Australia Pham Hung Tam (joining the delegation in Australia); Ambassador, Head of the Vietnamese Mission to ASEAN Nguyen Hai Bang (joining the delegation in Australia); Ambassador of Vietnam to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung (joining the delegation in New Zealand). In addition, leaders from several ministries, sectors, and localities will also participate in the trip.
The ASEAN-Australia Commemorative Summit with the theme “Partnership for the Future” takes place in the context of dynamic cooperation between ASEAN and Australia in various fields. The summit provides an opportunity for both sides to review the 50-year relationship and exchange measures to promote substantial, effective, and in line with the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2021.
During the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will also make official visits to Australia and New Zealand.
This is the first official visit by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Australia and New Zealand in his new capacity, and the first visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to the two countries in over 7 years.
The visit aims to strengthen political trust and deepen cooperation in various fields, bringing the Vietnam – Australia and Vietnam – New Zealand bilateral relations to a more substantial and effective level in the areas of politics, diplomacy, security, defense, economy, trade, investment, ODA, education and training, culture and tourism, labor, etc.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Australia and New Zealand continues to actively implement the foreign policy of the 13th Party Congress, Resolution 59-KL/TW of the Politburo on the orientation for ASEAN participation until 2030, and Directive 25-CT/TW of the Party Central Committee on enhancing and elevating multilateral diplomacy until 2030.
