Hanoi (VNA) – The state-level visit to Vietnam from April 3 to 6 by Governor-General of Australia DavidHurley holdsa lot of symbolic importance amid the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomaticrelations, said Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski.

In an interview granted to the media,Goledzinowski said it’s the third visit to Vietnam by heads of state of Australia, and he's coming to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomaticrelations. The Governor-General is only the first of a number of importantvisitors who will come to Vietnam this year.

The most importantactivities will be the high-level meetings, the ambassador said, noting that Governor-General David Hurley will be received by all the four top of the leaders ofVietnam. This will be the first State visit that President Vo Van Thuong willhave received.

The diplomat said the twocountries’ strategic partnership is built around practical activities, andthere is a huge amount happening between Vietnam and Australia at the moment. Forexample, he recently met with Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan to talk aboutexpanding cooperation in the health area, and that's true across so manysectors. 

He went on to say thatsince taking his office in Vietnam, he has learned that Vietnam values very much whatthe Vietnamese leaders called strategic trust, which he said is important.

“What that means isthat in a time of change, and a time of uncertainty, where Australia andVietnam will be facing many challenges, we have chosen each other as trustedfriends, we've decided that we will work together where we can to meet thesechallenges together, whether they are economic challenges or securitychallenges, or environmental issues, we will work together in partnership in away which reflects the warmth of the relationship between the two countries.”

The Governor-Generalvisit will serve to really amplify that and to consolidate the strategic trustthat exists between two countries, at the people-to-people level but also atthe highest level, Goledzinowskiadded.

Talking aboutbilateral cooperation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Australiarelations, he said there are so many bright spots.

Bilateral trade hasgrown very fast in recent years, which reflects Vietnam's growing prosperitybut also the complementary nature of the two economies. Australia has becomeVietnam's seventh largest trading partner. 

Agriculturalcooperation is also very important, not just in selling products to each other,because the two countries are in different hemispheres, north and south,there's a seasonal complementarity which facilitates trade, but also inresearch. In the embassy, there are two different research organisations doinga lot of cooperation with the Vietnamese side in promoting new methods offarming in Vietnam, particularly those which have a low carbon footprint, whichwill enable sustainability into the low-carbon economy which Vietnam isbuilding, he elaborated.

In terms of education,there are now 300 different partnerships between Australian universities andVietnamese institutions, and they are expanding that further.

The ambassador alsohighlighted defence links, including in peacekeeping, border security, and lawenforcement to combat human trafficking, drugs smuggling, and a variety ofother transnational crimes.

“There are so manyother activities that we're doing together. But it's all built around thisstrong strategic trust and the strong people-to-people links between the twocountries,” he added./.