Vietnam's Top Leader to Visit Australia, New Zealand; Expectations Rise for Enhanced Ties

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Tô Lâm is scheduled to pay official visits to Australia and New Zealand from August 9 to 14. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the visit, expressing anticipation for discussions on deepening the strategic partnership and expanding bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Albanese highlighted that the Vietnam-Australia relationship is built on "deep strategic trust, shared interests, and a common vision for the future of the region," noting the strong cultural ties, including approximately 350,000 people of Vietnamese origin living in Australia. Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Gillian Bird also stated that the visit is expected to open a new chapter in the "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" between the two nations. Bird emphasized cooperation in various fields such as trade and investment, defense and security, education, digital transformation, and energy transition, expressing hope that the visit will yield concrete results and promote shared prosperity. Vietnam and Australia established diplomatic relations on February 26, 1973, and upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024. Bilateral trade is projected to reach $14 billion by 2025. Australia is Vietnam's seventh-largest trading partner, while Vietnam is Australia's tenth-largest. As of May 31, 2024, Australian investors had 734 active projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital exceeding $1.9 billion, ranking 22nd among 154 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Australia is one of Vietnam's largest bilateral partners for non-refundable ODA, having provided over AUD 3 billion (approximately VND 47 trillion) in assistance since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Scientific and technological cooperation continues to be a focus, with both sides effectively implementing the second phase of the Aus4Innovation program. The Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology has also signed a new Memorandum of Understanding on Science, Technology, and Innovation cooperation for five years with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).