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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam (fifth, from right) in a group photo with opposition and independent lawmakers in the Parliament of Australia (Photo: VNA) |
Sydney (VNA) - Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam held a meeting on September 15 in Canberra with several opposition and independent lawmakers in the Parliament of Australia to discuss measures to boost bilateral cooperation and strengthen parliamentary ties between the two nations in the coming period.
Tam emphasised the positive development of the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Australia is currently one of Vietnam's key partners in economy, trade, investment, and official development assistance (ODA), while people-to-people exchanges between the two countries are becoming increasingly vibrant. Notably, over 500,000 Australian visitors travelled to Vietnam in 2025.
Referring to the State visit to Australia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam in August 2026, he affirmed that this was a historic event that created fresh momentum for bilateral relations. It also marked the first time the two countries adopted three joint statements during a single high-level visit.
The ambassador recalled how leaders and foreign affairs officials from Australia’s opposition Liberal Party had called on General Secretary and President To Lam in Canberra during the recent visit, thereby demonstrating their support for the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two nations.
According to Tam, the support from both of Australia's major parties for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is of great significance. The ambassador proposed that both sides continue to advance commitments in areas such as economy, trade, investment, science and technology, education and training, and security and defence. He also requested Australian support for the "500-day-and-night" campaign dedicated to searching for, recovering, and identifying the remains of Vietnamese fallen soldiers.
Ted O’Brien, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Member for Fairfax, affirmed his support for cooperative ties between the two nations and their parliaments. He expressed interest in boosting bilateral trade, investment, and tourism, while also discussing the possibility of Australian coordination and assistance regarding the search for the remains of Vietnamese fallen soldiers.
Meanwhile, Liberal Party Senator Jessica Collins, Chair of the Australian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, also expressed her interest in the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and spoke highly of the role played by the Vietnamese-origin community in Australia.
During their meeting, Collins and Tam discussed various regional and international issues of mutual concern. Collins emphasised the importance of multilateralism and international law, while also advocating for strengthened cooperation among middle powers in the region.
The meeting took place as Vietnam and Australia continue to advance the implementation of agreements reached during the State visit to Australia by General Secretary and President To Lam in August 2026./.
