PM arrives in Melbourne for ASEAN - Australia Special Summit, official visit
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived at Melbourne airport on March 4, beginning their trip to attend the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit and official visit to Australia.
At the welcome ceremony for PM Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse. (Photo: VNA)
Canberra (VNA)♎ - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse LeThi Bich Tran and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived at Melbourne airporton March 4, beginning their trip to attend the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit and official visit to Australia.
Welcoming them at the airport were Australian officials, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam and representatives of the overseasVietnamese community in Australia. The Summit marks the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN - Australia dialogue relations and will be followed by an official visitto Australia from March 5-9 at the invitation of Australian PM Anthony Albanese. Themed "A Partnership for theFuture," the Summit presents an opportunity for both sides to reflect on their five-decade relationship and plan for futuredevelopment in line with bilateral comprehensive strategic partnershipestablished in 2021. PM Chinh, along with other ASEAN and Australianleaders, will outline visions, directions, and concrete measures to expandcooperation in the coming years. Notably, Australia is to proposenew cooperative initiatives, which, if agreed upon, could lead to breakthroughs inbilateral relations and further bolster ASEAN-Australia relations. While in Australia, the Vietnamese PM will engage intalks and meetings with Australia's top leaders. He will attend theVietnam - Australia business forum, visit an exhibition showcasing investmentprojects in Vietnam, and hold working sessions with Australian businessassociations and major corporations. Furthermore, he is set to tour various socioeconomicand scientific research facilities and interact with Vietnamese andAustralian intellectuals and experts. Beyond evaluating the progress of bilateralties, particularly within the framework of the Vietnam - Australia strategicpartnership, both sides will map out future cooperation directions. Theseefforts aim to elevate bilateral relations to a new height, with a focus on tradeand investment cooperation, especially in education-training, sci-tech,innovation, digital economy, and green economy. Thevisit is expected to culminate in the signing and exchange of cooperationagreements in various fields, including education, energy, minerals,agriculture, forestry, fisheries, science and technology, innovation, law,finance, trade and investment./.
A special summit to celebrate 50 years since Australia became ASEAN’s first Dialogue Partner in 1974 is taking place in Melbourne city on March 4 – 6, focusing on the discussion of partnerships for the future.
The ASEAN - Australia Special Summit commemorating the 50th anniversary of their dialogue relations is considered a chance for the two sides to further enhance bilateral cooperation along with their commitments to the current ties and regional growth and success, an expert has said.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse will attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia dialogue relations and also pay an official visit to Australia from March 5-9. The official visit is “incredibly important” as it comes after the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties last year.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Australia is expected to create new momentum for the bilateral relations, including their trade ties.
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.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
At the welcome ceremony for PM Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse. (Photo: VNA) 
