Vietnamese, Australian Deputy FMs talks joint work amid COVID-19
Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) Vietnam Nguyen Quoc Dung on April 6 held phone talks with acting Australian Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the SOM Australia on ASEAN and East Asia Summit (EAS) Justin Hayhurst to discuss joint work via regional cooperation mechanisms amid the complicated developments of COVID-19.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) Vietnam Nguyen Quoc Dung on April 6 held phone talkswith acting Australian Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the SOM Australia onASEAN and East Asia Summit (EAS) Justin Hayhurst to discuss joint work viaregional cooperation mechanisms amid the complicated developments of COVID-19.
Dung expressedwish to enhance close coordination to further deepen strategic partnership and comprehensive cooperation between ASEAN and Australia.
He emphasisedthat fighting COVID-19 is now the top priority of ASEAN, adding that in thecapacity as ASEAN Chair, Vietnam is actively promoting common efforts of thebloc and cooperation with partners in the fight against the pandemic.
Speaking highlyof Vietnam’s role and efforts in its capacity as ASEAN Chair 2020, Hayhurst said Australia will continue supporting and working closely withVietnam to step up the anti-COVID-19 fight via regional cooperation mechanisms,including ASEAN – Australia cooperation and the EAS.
The two officialsagreed to maintain the Vietnam - Australia strategic partnership in variousareas.
Dung thanked theAustralian Government for readiness to offer technical support to Vietnam tomitigate socio-economic impacts caused by COVID-19. He suggested the Australianauthorities continue supporting Vietnamese citizens and students in currentdifficult times.
Hayhurst, for hispart, thanked the Vietnamese Government for providing medical and consularsupport for Australian citizens and tourists affected by the epidemic.
ܫ He affirmed thatthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will work with education and interiorministries and authorities to have measures to support Vietnamese students inAustralia./.
The first Vietnam-Australia Economic Partnership Meeting (EPM) was held in Adelaide city of Australia on November 29 under the co-chair of Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Chi Dung and Australian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
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.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA) 
