Australian and Vietnamese Prime Ministers and Foreign MInisters

Australia and Vietnam relationship enters new era

I am pleased to announce that Australia and Vietnam have today established a strategic partnership.

As new strategic partners, Australia and Vietnam have agreed to work together to realise a vision of a secure, open and prosperous region.

We will establish annual meetings between our foreign ministers and separately between our defence ministers.

We have established a new ministerial level economic dialogue to boost trade and investment with one of ASEAN’s fastest-growing economies.

With two-way trade in excess of $11 billion, supporting thousands of jobs, our linkages are only set to grow.

As fellow members of TPP11, we will work to keep markets open and trade and investment flowing.

We will work across our partnership in defence, development, education, science and research to deepen our links and advance our cooperation.

Together, including at the forthcoming ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, we will work for our common prosperity and security.

This announcement is a fitting way to mark 45 years of diplomatic relations and the visit to Australia by Prime Minister Phuc.