Vietnam wants to lift bilateral cooperation between the two legislative bodies to a higher level for the two countries’ mutual benefits.

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said this at his talks with Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Anna Burke in Hanoi on May 22 following the official welcome ceremony.

The Vietnamese legislature is keen to expand dialogues with the Australian House of Representatives in all areas to share information, build trust and strengthen mutual understanding.

The top legislator highlighted Burke’s visit to Vietnam as a spotlight at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 40thanniversary of their bilateral diplomatic ties.

He also spoke highly of exchange activities between the Friendship Parliamentary Groups and parliamentary leaders.

Both host and guest agreed to facilitate trading activities, encourage Australian firms to invest more in Vietnam, especially in fields of their strength in line with Vietnam’s development strategy, and speed up the effective implementation of Vietnam- invested projects in Australia.

They also agreed to accelerate cooperation projects in education, labour, national security and defence for the sake of peace and development in the region and the world.

Speaker Burke applauded the two legislative bodies’ significant contribution to improving the cooperation efficiency between the two Governments.

She also used the occasion to invite Hung to visit Australia in honour of the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic ties. Her invitation was accepted with great pleasure.

After the talks, the two parliamentary leaders signed a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures under which, the two sides will promote high-level delegation exchanges, as well as work closely at multilateral forums.

They will also exchange publications on legal systems and related issues to learn experience from each other.

At a meeting with the Australian house speaker the same day, PM Nguyen Tan Dung hailed her visit as a positive contribution to fostering cooperative relations between Vietnam and Australia in many fields. 

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung meets Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Anna Burke. Photo: VNA

More effective measures should be taken to enhance economic and trade cooperation to make it easier for the penetration of goods into the two nations’ markets and bring two-way trade to an impressive figure in the time to come.

The two countries should also focus on increasing cooperative activities regarding education-training, science-technology, culture and national defence and security, Dung said.

The Government leader also suggested the two sides offer each other support at international and regional forums and asked Australia to continue providing its ODA for Vietnam and support the country and ASEAN’s stances on peace, stability and maritime security and safety in the East Sea and peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sea in accordance with international law.

Dung thanked Australia for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community’s lives and hoped to receive more its support for Vietnamese nationals thus helping them integrate into the country of residence and contribute more to the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Australia.

For her part, Speaker Burke stated that her country always attaches great importance to strengthening all-round cooperation with Vietnam, adding that the Australian House of Representatives is willing to support cooperative activities between the two nations in every field.

Australia will do its utmost to contribute to ensuring peace and stability in the region and the world, saying that the implementation of peaceful measures in respect for legal basis is the best way to resolve disputes in the East Sea, she added.

VOV