Vietnam and Australia have agreed on measures to promote the efficiencyof their bilateral partnership, especially in prioritised areas likepolitics, defence, security, economy, investment, trade, agriculture andeducation-training, among others.

During talksbetween Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Australian counterpartTony Abbot on March 18 as part of the Vietnamese government leader’songoing official visit, both sides concurred to assign their foreignministries to complete and formalise a joint action programme for2015-17.

Reviewing progress of the bilateral ties inrecent years, the PMs pledged to increase the exchange of high-leveldelegations and maintain meetings between the two countries’ leaders andofficials while optimising the existing collaboration mechanisms.

Both sides noted that the bilateral economic partnership has beengrowing rapidly; Australia is now the eighth largest partner of Vietnamwith trade reaching nearly 6 billion USD in 2014.

Australia considers Vietnam a potential market and is keen on increasinginvestment to and fostering stable affiliation with the country inenergy, telecommunication, and technology transfer.

Host and guest vowed to create favourable conditions for exportcollaboration in agricultural and aquatic products by enhancingcooperation in animal and flora quarantine.

At thesame time, both sides committed to back businesses to invest in thestrengths of the two nations, including services, agriculture, breeding,processing, mining and education-training.

The twoPMs agreed to foster bilateral defence-security partnerships, whilepromoting the efficiency of coordination in development, culture andtourism.

They also discussed a wide-range ofregional and international issues of mutual concern, pledging to workclosely at regional and international forums, including theASEAN-Australia cooperation, the East Asia Summit, the Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation forum and the United Nations.

They plan to boost mutual support in negotiations and implementations ofthe Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and Trans-PacificPartnership.

They highlighted the significance ofmaintaining peace and stability as well as maritime and aviationsecurity, safety and freedom in the East Sea together with thesettlement of disputes on the basis of international law, including the1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They called for full observation of the Declaration on Conduct ofParties in the East Sea as well as for restraint from using force orconducting any activities that escalate tension in the region, includingthe constraint or use of violence to unilaterally change the status quoin the region.

It is urgent to build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea, they stressed.

The two sides issued a joint statement on lifting Vietnam-Australiarelations to the next level and a declaration on strengthening theirbilateral comprehensive partnership and four other cooperation documentson unexploded ordnance removal, peacekeeping, a new workingholiday maker visa arrangement and preventing human trafficking.

The same day, PM Dung and PM Abbott met with the media to inform them on the outcomes of their meeting.

PM Abbott stated that Australia and Vietnam share a common interest in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Both countries value the regional peace and will work closely toeliminate any threats to the stability, he said, adding that both sidessupport maritime and aviation freedom in the East Sea.

Australia and Vietnam reject any unilateral moves changing the statusquo, he stated, adding that disputes should be settled throughinternational law.

PM Abbot also reiterated hisstatements in Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing that Asian countries should jointogether and work for the long-term interest and maintenance of peaceand stability in the region.-VNA