Australia’s Ambassador to Việt Nam Robyn Mudie and Vice Minister for Planning and Investment Trần Quốc Phương release the Australia Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy at the meeting. — Photo courtesy of the Australian Embassy

 HÀ NỘI — The governments of Australia and Việt Nam on Tuesday publicly released a strategy to unlock significant opportunities for businesses across the two countries.

The Australia Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy sets out a road map to increase trade and investment opportunities, forging closer ties between the two countries. The strategy is unique, the first of its kind for Việt Nam and Australia, and reflective of both countries’ mutual interests.

At a meeting in Hà Nội with Vice Minister for Planning and Investment, Trần Quốc Phương, Australia’s Ambassador to Việt Nam Robyn Mudie, said:  "We are proud to have publicly released this strategy in partnership Việt Nam. It is the strongest reflection yet of our confidence in our shared economic future. Through this strategy we can recover our economies and prosper together."

"Our economies are highly complementary. Australia is a reliable supplier of the services and raw materials that Việt Nam’s exporters require, and our consumers enjoy Việt Nam’s high-quality products in their homes and workplaces. There is enormous potential to take this relationship even further as we emerge from COVID-19.

"The Strategy will help guide our two countries towards an inclusive and sustainable growth path."

At the meeting, Vice Minister Phương said: "The economic potential between Australia and Việt Nam is great. This strategy will be central to realising this potential."

"It demonstrates our commitment to promote economic, trade and investment links across key sectors and will help support the post COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery."

In their forewords to the strategy, Việt Nam’s Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison endorsed the plan as an important step in realising the two countries’ mutual goal to become top ten trading partners and double two-way investment.

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: "Together, Australia and Việt Nam are achieving tremendous things. We share a strong, optimistic and future-focused agenda."

"This strategy is a manifest recognition of what is possible when we work together. I am delighted to commend this strategy to the government, business, investment and innovation communities of Australia and Việt Nam, and all who will work together to advance its goals."

Prime Minister Chính said: "Since the official establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations in 1973, the friendship and cooperative relations between Việt Nam and Australia have developed strongly. The Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy shows the ambition and aspirations of our two countries’ governments and people."

To support Australian and Vietnamese businesses, the strategy outlines a series of mutually beneficial, practical initiatives to deepen trade and investment links in key sectors including across agriculture, education, energy, services and the digital economy.

The strategy also highlights the importance of strengthening the rules-based global trading system as the basis for open international trade and working together to address economic challenges and coercive economic practices. —VNS