Vietnam wishes to foster all-out ties with Australia, including politics, trade, investment, culture and education, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

During a reception for former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Hanoi on June 24, the Vietnamese PM expressed his thanks for the supports his former Australian counterpart provided for Vietnam in the cooperation programs between Vietnam and Australia, especially the joint project to build Cao Lanh Bridge in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap.

He also highlighted the comprehensive partnership between the two nations, with the annual average growth in bilateral trade value reaching 10 percent.

Australia is a key export market of Vietnam, particularly for agricultural products, the PM said.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

Vietnam has continuously improved the quantity as well as the quality of its export products to the country, PM Phuc reiterated.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc also expressed his thanks for the active aid, including the ODA capital, the Australian Government has provided for Vietnam for its socio-economic development.

He called for a furthered bilateral cooperation between the two nations at international and regional forums for peace and prosperity.

For his part, former Australian PM Kevin Rudd expressed his hope that the Cao Lanh Bridge, upon its operation, will bring about practical benefits for local residents and contribute significantly to the country’s socio-economic development.

He also highlighted the increasing number of Vietnamese students and citizens studying and working in Australia, saying that they have contributed to strengthening the friendship and the economic and cultural cooperation between the two nations’ governments and peoples.

He spoke highly of Vietnam’s export of high-quality agricultural products to the country, including fresh lychee fruits, and suggested the two nations boost cooperation in tourism.

The Australian PM also attached significance to the international status of Vietnam, particularly in the ASEAN bloc, saying that the country has made positive contributions to regional stability and the peace and prosperity of the region and the world.

He pledged to continue his support for a more strengthened and extensive relationship between the two nations, thus forging the friendship between the two nations’ peoples.

Source: VNA