Australian Senate President’s visit to deepen ties between legislatures: official

NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn (R) and President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines at a meeting in Hanoi on July, 24, 2024. VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI – The visit to Việt Nam from August 24-30 by President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines is of important significance, contributing to a deeper and more practical relationship between the two legislative bodies and making it a key pillar in the Việt Nam-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership, said Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Foreign Affairs Lê Thu Hà.

Talking with a Việt Nam News Agency (VNA) reporter, Hà said it would be the first official visit to Việt Nam by the Senate President at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn.

The visit would demonstrate Australia’s interest and commitment to its relationship with Việt Nam and affirm its desire to strengthen ties between the Vietnamese NA and the Australian Parliament. It would also concretise the cooperation agreement between the two legislatures in the new phase, with broader contents aimed at increasing practical and effective collaboration, she said.

Regarding the Senate President’s agenda, Hà said Lines would hold talks with NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, meet with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, and pay a courtesy call to Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm. She would also attend the Vietnam-Australia Forum to be co-organised by the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics and the Australian Embassy in Việt Nam, and pay working trips to the northern provinces of Ninh Bình and Bắc Ninh, and HCM City.

Through the visit, she believed that both sides would continue to effectively implement existing cooperation mechanisms and enhance coordination across all areas. The focus would be placed on greater political and diplomatic trust; more comprehensive, practical and effective economic, trade and investment cooperation; stronger collaboration in sci-tech, innovation, digital transformation and green transition; more profound links in culture, education-training, environment, and climate change response; broader and more sincere people-to-people exchanges and connections between generations; and enhanced understanding and sharing of national defence-security issues.

Through parliamentary diplomacy, a cooperation agreement signed between the Vietnamese NA and the Australian Parliament would elevate and deepen their relationship, making it a key pillar in the overall bilateral relationship between the two countries, Hà said.

Reflecting on the strides made in the bilateral ties since the establishment of diplomatic relations on February 26, 1973, Hà highlighted the robust exchange of delegations at all levels, as well as significant cooperation in economy-trade, national defence-security, agriculture, education, labour, and people-to-people exchanges.

Looking ahead, the official sees ample potential for collaboration in emerging areas such as climate change response, digital transformation, and energy transition. VNA/VNS