Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Ngo Huong Nam. (Photo: VNA)

Mr. Nam made the statement in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency about Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Australia to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit next month.

The ambassador said that 2018 is a pivotal year for Vietnam and Australia, marking 45 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The two have witnessed achievements in politics, economics, security, defense, science, technology, culture, and education. Last November, Prime Minister Phuc and Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull announced a plan to upgrade bilateral ties to a strategic partnership which will be officially signed on March.

Ambassador Nam said this will be Mr Phuc’s first official visit to Australia as PM and will be a milestone in bilateral relations.