Australia’s Queensland considers Vietnam top priority partner
Queensland, Australia’s second biggest state, is developing a new international cooperation strategy, which is expected to make Vietnam one of its top five priority partner countries, local officials have unveiled.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh introduces the prospect of Vietnam-Australia relations at the University of Queensland (Photo: VNA)
Sydney (VNA) – Queensland, Australia’s second biggest state, is developing a new international cooperation strategy, which is expected to make Vietnam one of its top five priority partner countries, local officials have unveiled.
Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick, Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner, and Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport Stirling Hinchliffe informed Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh of the plan in meetings held during the Vietnamese diplomat's visit to the state from May 22-25.
Governor of Queensland Jeannette Young lauded the growth of the Vietnam-Australia relations and assessed that with Vietnam's dynamic development strategy and important position and role in the region, the two countries see ample room for cooperation, especially in such new fields as renewable energy, digital transformation, high-tech agriculture and education.
Young said she is committed to pushing for the early restart or signing of new cooperation documents between Queensland and Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang of Vietnam to further deepen collaboration in education, agriculture and tourism within the state’s overall comprehensive cooperation strategy with Vietnamese localities.
Meanwhile, Dick and Justin McGowan, Chief Executive Officer at the Trade and Investment Queensland, told Thanh that the state will upgrade its representative office in HCM City into its trade and investment centre in Southeast Asia.
Furner and Hinchliffe underscored that Queensland considers Vietnam a top priority partner in the region and is determined to synchronously and comprehensively implement the new strategy in the near future.
Queensland leaders expressed their delight at the two sides' plan to launch the first direct route between the state’s capital Brisbane and HCM City in June, expecting the important event to create an impetus for cooperation and people-to-people exchange between Queensland and Vietnam.
For his part, Thanh emphasised the similarities that the two sides should try to tap on, especially in terms of economy, natural resources and human resources.
The ambassador expressed his belief that from the overall growing relationship between the two countries, Queensland will increase investment in Vietnam and attract Vietnamese investment in the state, particularly to prepare for Brisbane’s hosting of the 2032 Summer Olympics.
Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh at his meeting with Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport Stirling Hinchliffe (Photo: VNA)
While in Queensland, Thanh had discussions with representatives of the local education and trade - investment ministries, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and three leading universities. He also attended and delivered a congratulatory speech at a banquet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic relations held by the local chapter of the Australia–Vietnam Business Council./.
Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet and the Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) of the Australian state of Queensland signed a cooperation agreement in Sydney on March 16 to open a direct route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Brisbane.
Officials from Ho Chi Minh City and the Australian state of Queensland discussed cooperation in economy, trade, education and science-technology at a meeting in the Vietnamese city on May 27.
Vietnam always treasures its friendship and cooperation with Australia, stated Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh while receiving Australian Governor of Queensland Paul de Jersey in Hanoi on May 29.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh introduces the prospect of Vietnam-Australia relations at the University of Queensland (Photo: VNA) 
Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh at his meeting with Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport Stirling Hinchliffe (Photo: VNA) 
