Vietnam, Australia step up cooperation in agriculture, environment
Tung noted that Vietnamese agricultural products are gaining stronger footholds in the Australian market, contributing to a more balanced trade relationship. The Consulate General plays an active role in supporting businesses, removing technical barriers, promoting brands, fostering research collaboration, and building sustainable supply chains.
Delegates at the forum in Sydney on August 21. (Photo: VNA)
Sydney (VNA) ꦇ– The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney, on August 21 hosted the “Vietnam – Australia Forum on trade promotion, cooperation in training and human resources development in agriculture and environment.”
The event took place during a working visit to Australia by the ministry’s delegation led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam, with representatives from Vietnamese training institutions and enterprises.
Speaking at the opening, Consul General Nguyen Thanh Tung highlighted the importance of the event in translating the two countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into practical cooperation, especially in agriculture, a key sector for food security, sustainable growth and improved livelihoods.
He noted that Vietnamese agricultural products are gaining stronger footholds in the Australian market, contributing to a more balanced trade relationship. The Consulate General plays an active role in supporting businesses, removing technical barriers, promoting brands, fostering research collaboration, and building sustainable supply chains.
From its practical experience, the Consulate General proposed that the ministry and relevant agencies enhance support mechanisms for enterprises, establish regular information channels, and consider establishing a Vietnam Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre in Australia. It also suggested developing specialised logistics chains, expanding cold storage and distribution hubs in Sydney and Melbourne, and intensifying brand promotion of Vietnamese farm products.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam speaks at the forum. (Photo: VNA)
For his part, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam underlined that in the era of green consumption and green living, Vietnam and Australia complement each other in agricultural production. The Vietnamese Government is committed to reducing emissions in production and is already working with international organisations on carbon measurement and certification, he said.
The official pointed out vast potential for cooperation in technology transfer, particularly in agriculture and environmental protection. He called on Australian businesses, universities, and vocational schools to partner with Vietnam in transferring technology, promoting trade tailored to local conditions, developing high-quality human resources, and strengthening school–enterprise training models.
Nam also encouraged Australian investment in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, noting that both countries share marine economic advantages, large coastal areas and rich experience in the blue economy.
Susan Kahwati, who oversees the green economy, agriculture and food sector at the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), described the forum as another important step towards building stronger economic ties.
She emphasised that Vietnam is a dynamic and diverse economy, a regional manufacturing hub with strong agricultural potential, a young population, and a high rate of digital adoption.
Southeast Asia will see significant growth over the next two decades, with Vietnam being a key driver. Australia, with its advantages in agriculture, food, resources, green energy, infrastructure, education, skills, and digital economy, aims to be a trusted partner in Vietnam’s ambitious growth story, Kahwati added./.
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong co-chaired the seventh Vietnam - Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Hanoi on August 20.
Vietnam and Australia are stepping up cooperation across trade, investment, and education, with new initiatives to connect localities and businesses from both sides.
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Spanning 8.4ha of gross floor area and rising to 30m, the package requires advanced steel–concrete solutions, synchronised execution and accelerated progress within 330 days.
Through this partnership, VinFast Philippines, a subsidiary of Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam's largest conglomerates, will leverage on BDO's comprehensive suite of financial solutions including cash management, consumer banking, leasing, and insurance services and create tailored financing programmes for both retail and corporate customers.
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Vietnam values its international partnerships, including with the UK, Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang noted, urging UK companies, funds and financial institutions, and those from Europe and worldwide, to continue expanding investment, transferring know-how, sharing management experience and advancing green finance and technology to realise Vietnam’s sustainable development vision.
Vietnamese Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang expressed gratitude for the UK’s active role in supporting Vietnam’s efforts to draft a National Assembly resolution on creating an international financial centre. The City of London, he noted, provided pivotal insights and recommendations to shape the groundwork and development roadmap for this hub.
Vietnam is ready to deepen economic cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China and other partners, embracing a strategy of “harmonised interests and shared risks” as it leverages its fast-growing economy and market of over 100 million people.
Tay Ninh, Nghe An and Quang Tri provinces have strategic locations and significant cooperation potential, said Nguyen Thi Thai Binh, Minister-Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy, expressing confidence that with creativity and determination, these provinces and their Korean partners will find ample opportunities for productive collaboration.
Jointly organised by the Vinexad National Trade Fair and Advertising JSC and Yorkers Exhibition Service Vietnam, the event features 1,200 booths of more than 650 exhibitors from 20 countries and territories, including Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, and the US.
Public investment should serve as a key driver of growth, acting as seed capital to catalyse and mobilise all social resources, thereby fostering economic expansion, creating jobs and livelihoods, and improving the material and spiritual well-being of the people, PM Pham Minh Chinh stated.
An official of the Foreign Trade Agency laid stress on the foundational role of rules of origin in international trade, highlighting the importance of capacity building for enforcement officers in the context of deep international integration.
Against the backdrop of the growing comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia, the promotion and export of Vietnam’s agricultural products not only diversify supply sources for the Russian market but also help enhance the brand values and competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises in the market that remains untapped.
International trade is no longer merely an exchange of goods but a strategic lever enabling Vietnamese enterprises to enhance capacity, secure partnerships, and expand globally.
In the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam’s total trade value reached nearly 600 billion USD, up 16.3% year on year. Of this, exports stood at 306 billion USD, a 14.8% increase, already surpassing the full-year target.
Vietnam aims to maintain macroeconomic stability, control inflation below the target, achieve growth of 8.3-8.5%, ensure major economic balances, surpass budget revenue estimates by 25%, and control public debt, government debt, foreign debt, and budget deficit.
Reaffirming Vietnam’s commitment to foreign investors, Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang said government policies always aim to ensure transparency, fairness and a mutually beneficial environment that promotes innovation and safeguards investor rights, making Vietnam a sustainable and long-term investment destination.
The State Bank of Vietnam must launch an official gold price information portal, study the establishment of gold exchanges, and issue guiding documents to implement the Government’s decree on the management of gold trading activities.
According to the World Bank Group, Vietnam will need approximately 368 billion USD in investment for climate adaptation and carbon reduction projects by 2040. Yet, as of the end of 2024, green credit accounted for just 4.5% of the country’s total outstanding loans.
