Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Australiancounterpart Anthony Albanese witnessed the signing of cooperation documents andco-chaired a press briefing on the outcomes of their talks on June 4.

PM Chinh said the talks were a success with two sidesacknowledging the sound and effective development of the ties between the twocountries.

The two countries also shared a common vision on a peaceful,stable, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region and the central role of ASEAN,he said.

According to Chinh, the two PMs reached agreement on directions to promotebilateral cooperation, and push the implementation of the Vietnam-AustraliaEnhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (EEES) towards the goal of raising bilateral trade value to 20 billionUSD and doubling two-way investment.

The two leaders also agreed to promote cooperation betweeneducational establishment of the two countries, and hold discussions towards atourism cooperation agreement.

They reached consensus on expanding collaboration in climate change response,digital transformation, green transition and circular economy development.  

Chinh added that Vietnam and Australia will continue to coordinate and supporteach other in multilateral forums, especially the UN, ASEAN and ASEAN-ledmechanisms. He said Australia defines that Vietnam plays a central role inASEAN.

The two sides also reiterated the importance of ensuring peace,stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight on theEast Sea, and of settling disputes by peaceful measures in conformity withinternational law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS 1982), Chinh said.

PM Albanese announced that the two sides will promotecooperation across the fields, especially in addressing challenges in securityand climate change. He said Australia will assist Vietnam in energy transition,and provide Vietnam with 105 million AUD to make plans for sustainabledevelopment and development of clean energy and mining. Australia will alsoexpand its support programme for Vietnam in agriculture.

Albanese said he is pleased to witness the exchange ofcooperation deals, and noted that the community of over 300,000 Vietnamese inAustralia have contributed to Australia’s economic development and ties betweenthe two countries.

He said he had invited PM Chinh to pay an official visit toAustralia, and the Vietnamese PM had accepted the invitation.  

Earlier, the two PMs witnessed the exchange of cooperationdocuments, including an MoU between Vietnam’s Ministry of Science andTechnology and Australia’s Departmentof Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on cooperation inscience, technology and innovation; an MoU between Vietnam’s Ministry of Industryand Trade and the DFAT on establishing a ministerial-level dialogue on trade;an MoU between the State Bank of Vietnam and the AustralianTransaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) on exchanging information on moneylaundering and terrorism financing; an MoU between the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) and theWestern Sydney University (UWS) on the latter’s provision of 70 scholarshipsfor Vietnamese students and a learning area at UWS’s Vietnam campus.

Also on the occasion, Vietnam Airlines received a licence andannounced the launch of the Hanoi – Melbourne route, and Vietjet Air received alicence and announced the launch of its service between Ho Chi Minh City andBrisbane.

The two PMs took time to browse a photo display on Vietnam,Australia and bilateral cooperation held by the State-run Vietnam News Agencyin coordination with the Government Office./.