Australia, Vietnam sign Plan of Action 2016-2019

• Australia strengthens bilateral relations with Mekong Delta region
• PM receives incoming Australian Ambassador
• Australia launches programme to empower Vietnamese women

The Plan of Action details the targets and measures in areas of bilateral and multilateral cooperation to step up the comprehensive partnership between the two nations.

At their talks, the two leaders discussed their shared interests in regional security and prosperity, their strong cooperation in regional fora, such as ASEAN, the East Asia Summit and APEC, as well as their broad-based bilateral relationship.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister - Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (right) and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (left) at the signing ceremony.

Australia view about the East Sea was constantly upholding peace, stability, safety and security as well as maritime and aviation freedom in the East Sea without obstruction to trade, settling of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Both sides expressed their delight at the flourishing relations between their countries and between the two foreign ministries, especially since Vietnam and Australia set up the comprehensive partnership in 2009 and signed a declaration on enhancing the comprehensive partnership in 2015.

Both countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits and meetings and improved bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the high-level consultation on development assistance, the joint committee on scientific and technological cooperation, the foreign affairs-defence strategic dialogue, and the agricultural forum.

The two sides will coordinate to actualize opportunities and interests generated by the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the ASEAN Economic Community. 

They will also promote the ratification and implementation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and the finalization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Julie Bishop said Australia backs Vietnam’s hosting of the APEC Summit in 2017, along with ASEAN’s solidarity, unity and central role in the regional architecture.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister Minh paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and President of the Senate Stephen Parry.