 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the plenary session of a Special Summit to commemorate 50 years of ASEAN-Australia relations. |
Mr. Chinh welcomed Australia's announcement of an additional allocation of 146 million USD to strengthen the Mekong sub-region, the establishment of a 1.3-billion-USD investment fund, and many other initiatives to promote trade and investment with ASEAN countries.
To further foster bilateral cooperation, PM Chinh proposed that ASEAN and Australia make a breakthrough in economic, trade, and investment cooperation, striving to double their two-way trade turnover in the next 10 years.
He underscored the need for both sides to achieve a breakthrough in human resource development cooperation, especially high-quality human resources and labour cooperation.
Another major breakthrough for ASEAN and Australia will be in science- technology and innovation cooperation, with focus on developing the digital economy, green transformation, the circular economy, and emerging industries like semiconductors and AI, toward negotiating a digital economy agreement between the two.
 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and heads of delegations and ASEAN Secretary-General take a group photo after attending a retreat meeting of the Special Summit. |
Mr. Chinh proposed that ASEAN and Australia enhance political trust and cooperation to ensure regional peace and security; uphold a culture of dialogue and cooperation; promote confidence-building and preventive diplomacy; and encourage countries to make responsible contributions to the region.
He underscored the need for both sides to enhance sub-regional cooperation and narrow the development gap for inclusive and sustainable development, especially in strategic infrastructure connection projects, helping to create positive socio-economic changes in poor and underdeveloped sub-regions of ASEAN.
He proposed strengthening cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges by fully tapping the strength of people in ASEAN countries, including 350,000 Vietnamese expatriates in Australia, to promote understanding, empathy, and cohesion, thereby strengthening the relationship’s strong, long-term social foundation.