Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Australia are building increasinglycomprehensive, equal and reliable relations, Vietnamese Ambassador to AustraliaNguyen Tat Thanh has said.

In aninterview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Australiaon the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - Australia diplomatic ties(February 26, 1973 – 2023), the ambassador said it is time for both countriesto look back and recognise efforts to develop their bilateral relations.

Right after the Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace inVietnam was sign in early 1973, Australia immediately established diplomaticrelations with Vietnam, he said.

Accordingto the ambassador, in the 1980s, when the US imposed an embargo on Vietnam, Australiaactively developed multifaceted relations with Vietnam, providing officialdevelopment assistance (ODA) for the Southeast Asian country since 1973, andjust stopped for a short time. Australia assisted Vietnam in developingessential infrastructure such as North-South 500kV transmission line, My Thuanand Cao Lanh bridges, and modern telecommunications and banking systems. Inrecent years, many Western countries have cut or reduced ODA for Vietnam butAustralia has still maintained ODA, even in the fiscal year 2022-2023, its ODAfor Vietnam increased by 18%.

Interms of trade, the two countries have given each other the most-favourednation status since 1974. For many consecutive years, Australia has ranked inthe top 10 trade partners of Vietnam. In 2022, Australia became the 7th largesttrade partner of Vietnam. In education, Australia has granted scholarships toVietnamese students since February 1975.

“AsVietnam and Australia are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomaticrelations and 5 years of strategic partnership this year, this is a meaningfultime for us to look back at history, thereby working towards a common visionfor the next 50 years,” Thanh said.

“Overthe past half-century, Australia has helped Vietnam break sieges and embargoesand explored areas of cooperation for mutual benefits. In the nexthalf-century, the two countries will build increasingly comprehensive, equal,and reliable relations as well as strengthening the friendship between the twonations' people,” he emphasised.

Vietnamand Australia are neighbours in the Western Pacific, sharing strategicinterests in peace, cooperation and development in the region. The twoeconomies are highly complementary, especially in terms of natural resources,human resources, and technological and financial capabilities.

Australiahas a developed knowledge-based economy and leading education in the world.Australia's per capita income ranks second among the world's leading developedand emerging economies (G20). In particular, Australia has not only respectedand listened to but also shared sympathy with Vietnam.

Australiahas also become a comprehensive strategic partner of ASEAN. Australia andVietnam have accompanied together in regional and global multilateralcooperation mechanisms such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)forum, Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP), and the United Nations. These are advantages that the two sides needto take advantage of and promote in the coming years, the ambassador said.

It canbe said that the two countries have proper conditions to work together tocultivate a closer relationship in all fields for the benefit of the people ofthe two countries and for the common interests of the region and the world.

Thisyear, many delegation exchanges and celebrations have been and will beorganised in both countries.

Basedon the review of the Action Programme to implement the strategic partnershipbetween 2020 and 2023, the two sides are currently working together to developa replacement document. The three pillars of cooperation are defined in thisplan, including economy - trade, security - defence and innovation - creativityare likely to be continued because there is still plenty of room, Thanh said.

In addition,the two sides are considering several new pillars for comprehensive relationsin the coming years. Emerging fields such as climate change, green economy,clean energy, knowledge-based economy, digital transformation are expected tobe highlighted in this new document.

TheVietnamese Embassy in Australia this year expects to coordinate and promote theexchange of delegations at all levels and through channels, increase strategicdialogue, implement cooperation mechanisms, and establish several new mechanisms.

“Wewill also continue to support efforts to connect central agencies, ministries,sectors, localities, and businesses with Australian partners,” he said, addingthat at least 60 delegations of Party, State, and local leaders are expected tovisit Australia this year.

Meanwhile,leaders of the Australian State, Government, Parliament and states andterritories all have plans to visit, especially Governor-General David Hurleyis expected to visit Vietnam in the second quarter of 2023.

Duringa visit by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to Australia in lateNovember and early December last year, the top legislator and Australian PrimeMinister Anthony Albanese announced the intention to upgrade the two countries’relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership at an appropriate time.

Thanhsaid that he believed that conditions have been basically met, so the two sidescan fully consider the possibility of upgrading their relations soon.

If the plan is realised on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Australiadiplomatic ties, it will be of practical significance for the two countries tojointly build a vision for the next 50 years.

Regardingthe role of the Vietnamese community in Australia in developing the twocountries’ relations, the ambassador said that the 350,000-strong communityplays an important role in promoting the friendship and understanding betweenthe Vietnamese and Australian people.

Hesaid that Vietnamese-Australian people who are currently participating inpolitics, holding important positions in the parliament, the federal governmentand the state administrations have increasingly voiced their support forfriendly relations with Vietnam, conveying messages so that Australianpoliticians and people have a deeper understanding of Vietnam. Many overseasVietnamese intellectuals, experts and scientists at Australian educationalinstitutions and research centres are increasingly expressing their desire tocontribute more to the development of the two countries.

Accordingto the ambassador, overseas Vietnamese businesses also make contributions tothe homeland. In addition, generations of overseas Vietnamese students gotmature and better aware of the need to nurture the Vietnam-Australiarelationship. Many individuals have participated in community activities,helping Australians understand the situations in all aspects of Vietnam./.