PANO – Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Pham Binh Minh have just signed the Australia-Vietnam Plan of Action 2016-2019, according to the Australian Foreign Department.

The Plan of Action outlines the practical steps that our two countries are taking to implement the Enhanced Comprehensive Partnership signed in 2015.

At the signing ceremony

The Plan of Action outlines how Australia and Vietnam will collaborate in the areas of defense, security, economic and development cooperation.

Both countries are also focused on ways to promote trade and investment, innovation and measures to improve gender equality.

Highlights of the Plan of Action include Australia and Vietnam working together to promote regional stability and prosperity through the East Asia Summit and APEC; the commencement of annual high-level consultations on agriculture; deepening cooperation between education and research institutions; and strengthening women’s representation in leadership and management roles.

"In our bilateral meeting, Mr. Minh and I discussed our shared interests in regional security and prosperity, our strong cooperation in regional forums – such as ASEAN, the East Asia Summit and APEC – as well as our broad-based bilateral relationship", said the Australian official.

The Australian Foreign Minister also hosted a lunch for her Vietnamese counterpart, with the participation of a number of young Australian-Vietnamese entrepreneurs.

Reported by Thu Hang