Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of the Government of Vietnam, along with his spouse and senior Vietnamese delegation, has returned to Hanoi, successfully concluding the working trip attending the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit, the official visit to Australia and New Zealand from 5 to 11 March. Photo: VGP
ASEAN – Australia Special Summit commemorating 50 years of ASEAN – Australia relations
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son stated that the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit commemorating 50 years of ASEAN – Australia relations is an especially meaningful summit because 50 years is the “golden milestone” of ASEAN – Australia relations in order to set orientation for the development of relations in a new period. The summit is a testament to the increasingly important and valued role of ASEAN. Together with the ASEAN – GCC Summit and the ASEAN – Japan Commemorative Summit in 2023 and the continuous proposals for upgrading relations from both major and smaller partners with ASEAN, the summit demonstrates that partners are increasingly valuing the role and position of ASEAN.
The summit has been very successful, with many important outcomes.
Firstly, the leaders of both sides highly appreciate the importance and value of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for both sides as well as the region, in which political trust is increasing; trade, economic, cultural and social cooperation, as well as new areas, are being actively and effectively implemented.
Secondly, with the rich 50-year cooperation foundation, both sides agree on major directions to promote comprehensive cooperation in all fields in the time to come, including: (i) Creating strong transformations in economic cooperation, especially trade and investment, promoting cooperation in new areas such as innovation, digital economy, green transformation, energy transition, e-commerce; (ii) Enhancing cooperation in political-security, defense, maritime cooperation, cyber security; promoting cooperation in education, training, labor, tourism, cultural exchange, people-to-people exchanges, especially between youth and young leaders.
Thirdly, both sides highly appreciate cultural dialogue and cooperation, building trust and preventing conflicts, the role of international law and multilateralism in behavior and cooperation in responding to common challenges; emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace, stability, maritime and aviation security in the East Sea; peacefully resolving disputes based on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The summit adopted two important documents, the “Melbourne Declaration – Partners for the Future” and the “ASEAN – Australia – Vision Statement for Peace and Prosperity”, providing a basis for further implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and Australia in the coming period.
The participation and contribution of the Vietnamese delegation at the summit
Since the beginning, Vietnam has actively and positively participated, both in the preparatory process and in building the agenda and negotiating documents, as well as participating and making important contributions to the general success of the summit. In particular, the profound, comprehensive and strategic statements of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh have been highly appreciated by the countries, properly assessing the 50-year level of ASEAN – Australia relations, proposing vision, orientation for the future and initiatives, ideas to promote relations in the coming time.
Countries were impressed with the three numbers proposed by Prime Minister of Vietnam. There are three breakthroughs, three strengthening and three together for ASEAN – Australia relations in the coming time.
Three breakthroughs include breakthroughs in economic, trade and investment cooperation; breakthroughs in human resource development cooperation, especially high-quality human resources and labor cooperation; and breakthroughs in science-technology cooperation, innovation, focusing on digital economy, green transformation, emerging industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence.
Three strengthening include strengthening political trust, promoting cultural dialogue and cooperation, promoting trust building and preventive diplomacy, encouraging major countries to contribute responsibly to the region; strengthening sub-regional cooperation, narrowing the development gap because all-round, sustainable development; and strengthening cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, especially between the young generation and young leaders, thereby strengthening long-term, close social foundations.
Three together include jointly building a cohesive self-reliant region; together promoting a region that respects international law and acts based on rules; and jointly building and shaping an open, comprehensive regional structure, promoting multilateralism with ASEAN playing a central role.
Vietnam’s participation in the summit has contributed to raising Vietnam’s role in ASEAN – Australia relations, and through ASEAN, promoting further substantial, effective Vietnam – Australia bilateral relations in the coming time.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On the occasion of attending the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh took advantage of the time to meet all the high-level leaders of ASEAN countries, Timor Leste, Australia, New Zealand, and the ASEAN Secretary-General. The partners highly appreciate the role, position of Vietnam and want to further deepen relations between the two sides in all fields, especially in economics, trade, science-technology, education, training, tourism, people-to-people exchanges.
Outstanding results of the official visit to Australia and New Zealand of Prime Minister and spouse
Immediately after attending the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and spouse, along with the senior Vietnamese delegation, officially visited Australia and New Zealand, two strategic partners of Vietnam in the South Pacific.
The visit to both countries was successful in all aspects, marking an important milestone in the relations between Vietnam and the two countries. This is the practical implementation of the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress, including the promotion of cooperation and support from partners, especially strategic partners, comprehensive partners, important partners and traditional friends.
In Australia, the most prominent point of the visit is that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese jointly announced the elevation of Vietnam – Australia relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The two Prime Ministers agree to closely coordinate to implement 06 major directions, including: (i) Enhanced political trust, higher level diplomacy, more strategic diplomacy; (ii) More substantive, more effective, economic, trade, investment cooperation, taking advantage of the potentials of both economies with high complementarity; (iii) Promoting cooperation in science-technology, innovation, digital transformation, strong green transformation; (iv) Cooperation in culture, education-training, the environment, comprehensive response to climate change, more in-depth; (v) People-to-people exchanges, connection between open and sincere generations; and (vi) Increased understanding, sympathy and sharing in security-defense cooperation.
During the visit, the two countries’ ministries and sectors signed 13 cooperation documents in different fields. The two countries’ universities also signed 09 cooperation agreements.
In New Zealand, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had in-depth discussions with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and met with some high-level New Zealand leaders. Through the visit, both sides strengthen political trust and mutual understanding as well as cooperation in trade, agriculture, education, people-to-people exchange, and opened up opportunities for cooperation in new areas such as climate change response, digital transformation…
Both sides also agreed to coordinate to promote trade promotion activities to bring bilateral trade turnover to the target of USD 2 billion this year and study measures to bring bilateral investment to USD 500 million by 2030, committing to jointly contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity.
On this occasion, the two countries’ ministries and sectors signed three cooperation documents in education, economic-trade, and finance. These are the basis and prerequisite for specific and effective cooperation between the two countries in the coming years, contributing to stable and sustainable development of Vietnam – New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Australia and New Zealand both appreciate the increasingly rising role and position of Vietnam in the region and the world; agree to continue to cooperate and support each other at regional and international forums, for the interests of the people, for peace, stability and development of the region and the world.
