Vietnam's Top Leader to Visit Australia, Focusing on Tech Cooperation

General Secretary and President of Vietnam, To Lam, is scheduled to make a state visit to Australia from August 9-14, at the invitation of Governor-General Sam Mostyn. This marks To Lam's first visit to Australia in his new capacity and the first by a top Vietnamese leader since the two countries upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024. According to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong, the visit underscores Vietnam's regard for Australia and its commitment to deepening the new partnership framework in a substantive and effective manner. "The set goal is not just to expand relations, but to create new development impulses for the country," the Deputy Minister stated, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Leaders of the two countries will discuss strategic orientations for cooperation in technology, energy transition, and high-level human resource training. A key highlight will be the TechConnect Forum, aimed at fostering linkages between governments, businesses, universities, and research institutes of both nations towards a common innovation ecosystem. Several important cooperation documents are also expected to be signed at the governmental level and between research institutions and businesses. "Our primary expectation is a qualitative breakthrough: science, technology, innovation, and strategic technology sectors truly becoming new pillars of growth alongside trade, investment, and education, thereby enhancing the resilience of both economies," the Deputy Foreign Minister said. Aus4Innovation and the Vietnam-Australia Strategic Technology Centre are paving the way for collaboration in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital data, and critical minerals. "Science, technology, and innovation are therefore becoming new pillars of growth in the relations between the two countries," Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong added. The Deputy Minister reviewed the prominent milestones in bilateral relations. Two-way trade turnover currently exceeds $14 billion USD. The two economies are highly complementary and are both members of new-generation free trade agreements such as the CPTPP, RCEP, and AANZFTA. "The two sides do not compete with each other but need each other. This is the basis for expanding trade, investment, diversifying supply chains, and developing future industries," the Deputy Foreign Minister commented. RMIT University is the first foreign university to operate in Vietnam. Over 35,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Australia. The community of over 350,000 Vietnamese people, along with networks of intellectuals and entrepreneurs like the Vietnam-Australia Association of Scientists and Experts (VASEA), form a strong bridge between the two peoples. "This is social capital that no agreement can create overnight," Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong noted. Australia is an important ODA partner in infrastructure, digital transformation, climate change response, and green transition, while also expanding cadre training through the Vietnam-Australia Centre (VAC) at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. Australia is the only country to support Vietnam in transporting field hospitals, as well as providing training in English and military medicine, thereby helping to enhance Vietnam's capacity to participate in UN peacekeeping forces. The two countries have maintained regular high-level exchanges and numerous bilateral cooperation mechanisms, while also coordinating closely within ASEAN, APEC, and the United Nations. "We are confident that this visit will provide further impetus to deepen Vietnam-Australia relations, bring practical benefits to the people and businesses of both countries, and make a positive contribution to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region," Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong concluded. Source: VnExpress