Vietnam PM to visit Australia, New Zealand

Per the invitations of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minisister Christopher Luxon, Chinh will also attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit from May 5 to 6, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia dialogue relations, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Australia is one of the first partners to establish relations with ASEAN in 1974. The two sides upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership in 2014, then a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021.

Vietnam and Australia established diplomatic relations in February 1973, before upgrading ties to a strategic partnership in March 2018. Albanese officially visited Vietnam in June 2023, the first time since he assumed his position in May 2022.

Bilateral trade turnover between the two countries reached $13.8 billion in 2023. Australia is the 7th largest trade partner to Vietnam, and Vietnam is Australia's 10th largest partner.

There are around 350,000 Vietnamese in Australia, the fifth most populated foreign community in the country.

Vietnam and New Zealand established diplomatic relations in 1975, then a comprehensive partnership in 2009 and a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2020.

Vietnam is the 14th largest trade partner for New Zealand. Bilateral trade turnover between the two countries reached $1.3 billion in 2023. There are around 11,000 Vietnamese in New Zealand.