Opening remarks, Parliament House
TÔ LÂM, GENERAL SECRETARY AND PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM: The Honourable Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, I am much delighted to return to the beautiful country of Australia on this state visit. I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to the leaders and people of Australia and you personally for the warm welcome extended to me and the high-level delegation of Vietnam. May I congratulate you and the Government of the Labor Party on the remarkable achievements in socioeconomic development, defence, security, and external affairs, and as you continue to lead Australia towards sustainable growth and affirm its proactive role in the Asia Pacific and the broader Indo-Pacific and around the world, may I convey to you the warmest greetings by Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and other high-level leaders in Vietnam.
On Vietnam's part, we have recorded initial successes in economic development, GDP growth for the first six months of this year surpassed eight per cent, and this has contributed to advancing social progress and equality, to realise our development strategies towards 2030, in which Vietnam will become a developing country with a modern industrial base and an upper-middle income, and to become a developed, high-income nation by 2045. We have made every effort to implement key policies and development, including the transformation of Vietnam's development models in line with other developing countries, with a modern industrial base and an upper-middle income. Building disciplined, safe, civilised, harmonious, and developed society to make Vietnam a strong maritime nation, fostered an independent and self-reliant economy in conjunction with effective integration, and fulfil our capacities and roles in all economic sectors, especially the private sector.
In terms of foreign affairs, Vietnam remains steadfast in its policy of independence, self-reliance, resilience, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, diversification, and multilateralisation of external relations. Vietnam continues to be a responsible member of the international community, making proactive contributions to the shaping of multilateral institutions and addressing common challenges while engaging in extensive international integration.
Vietnam highly appreciates Australia's role as a friend and reliable partner, sharing multiple strategic interests. We take pride in the robust and effective growth of our bilateral ties over the past 50 years. All six pillars of cooperation under the action plan for the CSP for 2024 to 2027 have been conducted as planned, with 96 per cent of our goals to build political trust has been bolstered, and defence security cooperation continues to receive greater depth and effectiveness. The achievements we have reported after five years of implementing the EEES since 2021, it's also commendable with our two-way trade turnover doubling, reaching US$14 billion in 2025. We also witness excellent science in investment, development cooperation, education, training, science, technology and culture, and people-to-people exchange, thus elevating our bilateral relations to a new height.
The world continues to witness tremendous changes with intertwined opportunities and challenges. We believe that the reliable relationship between our two countries will bring forth tangible benefits for both nations. Thus, through this visit, we hope that we can further deepen the CSP between our two countries with added strategic significance on the basis of our long-term effective relationship and the sharing of common visions and interests. Thank you, and I wish to pass the floor back to you, your Honourable.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Thank you very much. Welcome, Your Excellency, to Australia. You are indeed an honoured and a welcome guest. Australia and Vietnam are partners. We have our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has driven our increasingly important trade and economic relations. Our defence industries, as well as our defence forces, are cooperating more and more. And today's uncertain world means that it is more important than ever that friends engage with each other on all levels – economic, social, environmental – to meet the challenges that are before us. My Government, since 2022, has prioritised engagement with Southeast Asia. And I know that you are meeting Mr Nicholas Moore, who developed our Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. We are friends, and will have increased dialogue at APEC, at ASEAN and throughout the region. We, both of our nations understand the importance of trade, the importance of freedom of navigation, the importance of so many of the issues that were taken for granted for a long period of time, but are under challenge, which is why it's important that we assert our common values on those issues.
I first travelled to Vietnam way back in 1986, and have travelled there every decade since, both professionally, my prime ministerial visit where we met each other, but as well as a tourist to Vietnam going back to the 1990s. And what I have seen is the extraordinary economic development that has occurred in Vietnam. Australia is a partner in that economic development. And we look forward to our discussions today with my senior ministers, our events that are occurring throughout today. I know that you had a visit to the Opera House last night. That was very welcome. I know you are an aficionado of opera. And one of the issues that my minister has already raised with me is Australian opera singers visiting Vietnam as well as being able to attend. So, you are very welcome in our country. We admire the speech that you gave, the keynote dialogue to the Shangri La Dialogue this year. A very important speech, emphasising peace and security in our region. I think that lays the foundations of what we want to see as we go forward.
PM&C acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.
