Canberra (VNA) – National Assembly(NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had a meeting with Australia’sGovernor-General Peter Cosgrove in Canberra on November 30.

The visiting legislator, who is on an officialvisit to Australia, said the Vietnamese NA wants to promote the enhancedcomprehensive partnership between the two countries and the cooperation betweenthe two parliaments.

Briefing the host about the outcomes of hertalks with Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith and SenatePresident Scott Ryan, she emphasised that the two countries’ relations havebeen growing rapidly and substantively, especially since the establishment ofthe comprehensive partnership in 2009 and the signing of a statement on theenhanced comprehensive partnership in March 2015.

Vietnam’s consistent policy is respectingbilateral ties with Australia, she noted, expressing her belief that anofficial visit to Australia by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc slated for March2018 will mark a new milestone in the countries’ relationship, which will belifted to a strategic partnership.

Chairwoman Ngan expressed her delight at thegrowing bilateral relations, adding that Vietnam will coordinate closely withAustralia to organise practical activities marking the 45th foundinganniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2018.

The two countries boast huge potential forcooperation in many fields, from economy, trade to investment, she noted,noting with satisfaction the growth of bilateral trade to 5.2 billion USD in2016, which turned Australia into the eighth biggest trade partner of Vietnam.

While Australia has given ODA capital to thefields that match Vietnam’s development targets, cooperation in defence,security, education-training, labour, tourism and people-to-people exchangeshave been reinforced.

The NA leader asked the Governor-General andGovernment of Australia to continue encouraging their country’s enterprises toinvest and form business ties with Vietnamese partners.

On this occasion, she thanked theGovernor-General and Government for their favourable conditions for Vietnamesepeople in Australia to stabilise their lives, integrate into the local society,maintain national identities, and contribute to the two countries’ relations.

At the meeting, Governor-General Cosgrove saidthe expected elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during anupcoming official visit to Australia by PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc is a clear-sighteddecision.

He shared his guest’ viewpoint on the twocountries’ sound relationship, adding that Vietnam is an important partner ofAustralia.

Regarding the East Sea issue, he said it isnecessary to keep peace, stability, freedom and safety of navigation in theEast Sea. All disputes in the East Sea need to be resolved by peaceful means,through dialogue, and in line with international law, including the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea.-VNA