The visit is significant as it's his first to Australia in his new role and the first by a key Vietnamese leader since the countries became Comprehensive Strategic Partners in March 2024. This visit will help deepen their relationship.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong said the trip shows Vietnam values Australia as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific and wants to strengthen their bilateral relations.

The visit builds on over 50 years of diplomatic relations, which have grown from a Comprehensive Partnership to a Strategic Partnership and now a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Each upgrade shows higher political trust and more intertwined interests.

Vietnam wants to change its development model to focus on productivity, knowledge, science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and modern governance. Australia is strong in these areas, including research, technologies, and human resource development.

The visit's agenda combines high-level diplomacy with economic, technological, educational, and human resource cooperation. The goal is to create new momentum for Vietnam's development.

The two countries' leaders will discuss cooperation in technology, energy transition, and training highly skilled workers. The TechConnect Forum will link governments, businesses, and universities to build a shared innovation ecosystem.

Important cooperation documents are expected to be signed between governments, research institutions, and businesses.

Vietnam hopes the relationship will make a significant breakthrough, with science, technology, innovation, and strategic technology becoming new pillars of growth.

The Deputy Foreign Minister is confident the visit will provide fresh momentum for deeper Vietnam-Australia relations and deliver benefits to both countries' people and businesses.

This is a dynamic period.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong said Vietnam-Australia relations are now in their most dynamic period since the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership began.

One sign is the high level of political trust, with regular high-level exchanges and bilateral cooperation mechanisms, as well as close work together at ASEAN, APEC, and the United Nations.

Two-way trade is over $14 billion. The economies are complementary, and both countries are in new-generation free trade agreements. This provides a foundation for expanding trade and investment.

Aus4Innovation and the Vietnam-Australia Centre for Strategic Technology are paving the way for cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and digital data.

RMIT University was the first foreign university in Vietnam. Over 35,000 Vietnamese students study in Australia, and a community of Vietnamese people provides a bridge between the two nations.

Australia helps Vietnam with official development assistance in infrastructure, digital transformation, and climate change response. It also trains Vietnamese officials through the Vietnam Australia Centre.

Defence and security cooperation is strong. Australia supports Vietnam in transporting field hospitals and provides English-language and military medical training.

Tran Thuong