Vietnam, Australia agree to 'comprehensive strategic partnership'

The two ministers were co-chairing the fifth Vietnam-Australia Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of Wong's second official visit to Vietnam.

Vietnam Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi on Aug. 22, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

They agreed to focus on implementing high-level agreements, including raising the relationship between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which was proposed during Vietnam National Assembly chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's official visit to Australia in December 2022. The two countries' leaders at the time decided to consider the idea of raising their relationship once related procedures were completed.

The two ministers agreed that cooperation between Vietnam and Australia in the fields of security and national defense have been developing, especially in sphere of United Nations peacekeeping.

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached almost US$16 billion in 2022, with Vietnam becoming Australia’s 10th biggest trade partner, and Australia Vietnam’s seventh biggest trade partner.

New areas of cooperation between Vietnam and Australia have also begun to grow in the form of Australia’s AUD105 million (US$67.4 million) support package for Vietnam, aimed at building infrastructure systems in response to climate change and facilitating clean energy.

Exchanging views on East Sea matters, the two ministers affirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, freedom of navigation and aviation. They emphasized the role of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam's Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, his Australian counterpart Penny Wong, and officials at the fifth Vietnam-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Hanoi on Aug. 22, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

An annual event, the Vietnam-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, also continued in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties, which came earlier this year.

Prior to Wong’s arrival, Australian Governor-General David Hurley visited Vietnam in April and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Vietnam in June.