Vietnam, Australia enhance comprehensive partnership

Dinh Duy

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Nguyen Van Nen, Minister and Chairman of the Vietnam Government Offi ce, exchange copies of the Declaration on Enhancing the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership - PHOTO: AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY

During on March 18’s talks, both sides discussed a wide range of high-priority areas, including trade, investment, education, development assistance, defense, the East Sea and their shared commitment to strengthening the strategic and security mandate of the East Asia Summit.

According to a statement released by the Australian embassy in Hanoi on March 18, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of the Declaration on Enhancing the Australia – Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, which sets out a high-level strategic agenda to guide the relationship in the coming years.

The declaration covers regional and international cooperation, trade and investment, industry development, development assistance, defense, law enforcement and security.

The foreign ministers of both countries will sign a revised Plan of Action later this year, which will outline the practical steps towards the new and refocused priority areas of cooperation.

“The visit by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Australia this week has brought our bilateral relationship to new heights,” Australian Ambassador Hugh Borrowman said in the statement.

The Enhanced Comprehensive Partnership builds on the previous Comprehensive Partnership Agreement, signed in 2009. It further expands the strong relationship between Australia and Vietnam and better reflects the current dynamics of the region and the level of maturity in the bilateral relationship.

A suite of memorandums of understanding were also signed on unexploded ordnance removal, peacekeeping, a new working holiday maker visa arrangement and preventing human trafficking.

Besides, the two leaders agreed to reach a prompt conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations, noting these agreements would help to drive higher growth. Australia stands ready to support Vietnam’s efforts to host Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2017.

Regarding East Sea issues, Vietnam and Australia called on all parties concerned to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), exercise restraint and refrain from actions that could increase tensions in the region, including the use of coercion or force to unilaterally alter the status quo.

The two sides agreed on the urgent need to progress a code of conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

PM Dung also planted a tree at the National Arboretum in Canberra. The species, Acacia Implexa, was developed by Australian and Vietnamese scientists.

In Canberra, the Vietnamese leader met the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Leader of the Opposition. In Sydney, he met the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Governor of New South Wales.

He extended to PM Abbott an invitation to visit Vietnam, which he accepted with pleasure.

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