At the meeting, Moore said the top Vietnamese leader’s visit to Australia is highly significant as it marks an important milestone in the history of the two countries’ diplomatic relations, which were established more than 50 years ago.

He discussed opportunities to further strengthen cooperation with Vietnam, including the implementation of Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, directions for expanding trade and promoting investment, connecting businesses and investors with sectors prioritised by Vietnam, and developing substantive cooperation models.

Affirming that bilateral trade cooperation has achieved highly positive results in recent years, Moore advised the two sides to aim for even higher trade value. He noted the signing of collaboration agreements in aviation and other fields recently will further facilitate trade connectivity, adding that he has submitted a report to the Australian Government on the scale of bilateral trade, together with recommendations on measures to promote two-way trade and investment.

According to the special envoy, both Vietnam and Australia could serve as destinations for technology startups. The large Vietnamese community and Vietnamese students studying in Australia also represent significant opportunities to promote innovation-driven entrepreneurship and contribute to the growth of both countries, he said.

General Secretary and President Lam expressed his wish for Vietnam to continue to be one of Australia’s key partners in implementing its Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. He highly valued Moore’s contributions to the development of the strategy and his efforts to strengthen connectivity between the Australian Government and the business and investment community.

He affirmed Vietnam considers Australia one of its leading important partners in the Indo-Pacific region, noting that bilateral relations are facing many new opportunities and the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership should continue to be advanced in an increasingly substantive and effective manner.

The Party and State leader shared that Vietnam is working toward the goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045, with science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, green transition and private-sector development serving as key drivers of growth. Therefore, the country wishes Australia to continue to be an important partner accompanying it in this process.

With a stable investment environment, a young workforce, a strategic position in supply chains and an increasingly expanding market, Vietnam has favourable conditions to become a priority destination for Australian businesses and investors, he stated, adding that priority is being given to attracting projects featuring advanced technologies, modern governance and high added value, with the capacity for technology transfer, human resources training and stronger linkages with domestic enterprises.

He noted that bilateral cooperation should make a strong shift toward long-term collaboration programmes in innovation, science and technology, human resources development, green finance, high-quality infrastructure, strategic supply chains, education and research.

Vietnam and Australia have a high degree of complementarity in resources, levels of development and their vision for the region, he said, stressing that the two sides should continue to promote cooperation by translating it into specific economic programmes and projects, so as to further consolidate the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, improve people’s livelihoods and advance national development./.