Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign AffairsPham Binh Minh on November 7 hosted a reception for Chief Minister of theNorthern Territory of Australia Michael Gunner who is on a visit to Vietnamfrom November 6-9.

At the meeting, both sides expressed their delight over the achievements in theVietnam-Australia strategic partnership in recent times, especially in therealms of politics, defence, trade, education, and agriculture.

By the end of this year’s third quarter, two-way trade had reached 5.72 billionUSD, up 20 percent from the same period in 2017. In addition, the two countrieshad made concerned efforts to promote relations between their localities, theysaid, particularly ties between the Northern Territory and Ho Chi Minh City,Hai Phong, Khanh Hoa, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau as noteworthy.

Deputy PM Minh said that Vietnam and Australia’s Northern Territory hold hugepotential to boost cooperation in marine and air transportation, as well astourism.

Laying stress on Vietnam’s interest in developing high-tech agriculture, humanresources training, and science-technology, Minh hoped that leaders of theNorthern Territory will grant further scholarships to Vietnamese studentsthrough the Northern Territory Government’s “Study in Australia’s NorthernTerritory” (StudyNT) programme.

He also hoped that the Northern Territory would expand its favourable conditionsfor overseas Vietnamese living and working in the locality.

Michael Gunner, for his part, affirmed that the Northern Territory alwaysattaches importance to strengthening bonds with Vietnam and that it standsready to bolster cooperation in trade, investment, and education, while also consideringcollaboration in transport and tourism with the Southeast Asian country.

The Northern Territory will facilitate conditions for low-cost carrier VietjetAir to open an air route to the city of Darwin next year, he said, adding thatVietnamese corporations, including Vingroup and TH True Milk, are welcome toland investments in the territory, particularly in the fields of its strengthlike husbandry, plantation, and tourism.

On the occasion, Deputy PM Minh and his Chief Minister Gunner witnessed thesigning of a memorandum of understanding between the Vietnam Chamber ofCommerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Northern Territory’s Chamber of Commerce.

During his stay, Michael Gunner has workingsessions with Minister of Education Phung Xuan Nha, Chairman of Ho Chi MinhCity People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong, as well as Vietnamese businessesoperating in trade, agriculture, education, and transport. –VNA