The expression comes from H.E. Mr John McAnulty, Consul General of Australia in Ho Chi Minh City, in an interview with the Vietnam Business Forum on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of establishment of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic relations (February 1973-February 2013). Duc Quan reports.
How do you see the bilateral ties between Vietnam and Australia in the last 40 years?
In the last 40 years, the Vietnam & Australia bilateral relationship has been built on a politically, strategically and economically important basis. Especially, Vietnam is recognized as one of Australia’s most important partners in the region in the Asian Century White Paper released by the Australian Prime Minister in October 2012. What is evident is that we have a very good and positive relationship, and one that is going from strength to strength.
In terms of trade co-operation, Australia is a creative and innovative trade and investment partner for Vietnam. Both sides’ two way trade has been at the core of the remarkable growth in our relations, with Vietnam and Australia among each other’s most important and valued trade partners in the Asia Pacific region. Our combined goods and services stands at over $ 6 billion per annum. Especially, Vietnam and Australia are both parties to the AANZFTA (Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement) and both sides are also negotiating partners in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
For Science and Education Co-operation, Australia remains a smart and creative country that offers world-class education for Vietnamese students. Australia is now a leading study destination for Vietnamese students with 25,000 students studying in Australia and a further 16,000 studying in Australian programs here in Vietnam. Australia has an open social and political culture, an advanced education system, a strong investment in scientific research; these help encourage innovation and inventiveness. Australia offers about 400 scholarships per annum for Vietnamese students. Vietnam and Australia will continue to further cooperate in this field.
More importantly, Australia has been providing strong support toward the achievement of Vietnam’s national development goals through the aid program. Vietnam is Australia’s fifth largest aid recipient. Both sides are working hard to build the infrastructure in Vietnam, apart from Australia’s funding of the My Thuan Bridge completed in 2000, Australia has committed to our biggest aid project yet in Vietnam – $160 million contribution to the design and construction of the Cao Lanh Bridge due to commence construction in 2013. The bridge will link five million people to markets across the Mekong Delta and into greater South East Asia.
Another milestone in the successful relationship is cooperation in law enforcement. Australia and Vietnam have a strong record of working together to improve both sides’ ability to respond to transnational challenges such as transnational crime, narcotics and people smuggling.
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic relations, what programs will be organized by the Australia Consulate General?
Together with the Australia Embassy in Hanoi, the celebration will be marked with programs of cultural, education and business activities taking place across Vietnam in 2013. The program will be run under the auspices of the Australia International Cultural Council (AICC) with Vietnam featuring as the focus country for 2013. The program demonstrates the diversity and growth of the bilateral relationship between both countries.
The year 2013 will be a great opportunity to bring to Vietnam some of Australia’s most innovative and contemporary arts and cultural performances, reflecting our rich and diverse multicultural society. The official program of the events will be launched by the Ambassador in Hanoi at a media conference on February 26, the day we established formal diplomatic ties in 1973.
The program includes:
Opening celebrations with gala performances by Australia’s world renowned indigenous Bangarra Dance Theatre in Hanoi on March 2 and then in Ho Chi Minh City on March 6.
A major travelling science and education exhibition run by Australia’s leading Science Centre-Questacon Science Showcase. This exhibition will be shown in Hanoi, Da Nang and HCMC throughout April and is targeted at students, with separate professional workshops for educators.
A musical tour by the group Elixir, one of Australia’s finest Jazz ensembles, with concerts to take place in Hanoi and Da Nang in May
A visual arts exhibition entitled Message Stick: Indigenous Identity in Urban Australia in HCMC in June
The cultural program will provide opportunities to hold aligned business events, underlining the strength of our trade and investment partnership and connections in the education sector. We hope next year will also see the exchange of senior visits from our respective governments.
We will keep you informed of other events and activities as these are added to the calendar of events for next year in Vietnam.
How are Australian projects doing in Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City & Southern provinces?
There is a huge Australian presence in Vietnam. There are approximately 22,000 Australian passport holders in Vietnam on a long-term basis (and 300,000 Australian tourists each year). Both sides have very good people to people links. In general, in recent years, most Australian investors in Ho Chi Minh City and Southern provinces have been successful. Some prominent examples include RMIT University, BlueScope Steel, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Interflour and Origin Energy.
Despite difficulties resulting from the continuing world financial crisis, I believe that Vietnam is better placed than many countries to emerge quickly. I myself will continue to encourage Australian companies to invest in Vietnam and of course, encouraging Vietnamese investors to come and invest in Australia.
What opportunities or challenges do you see in the Australia and Vietnam co-operation relationship?
I think both sides still have great co-operation opportunities, Vietnam and Australia can take advantage of AANZFTA and other agreements under negotiation to boost bilateral economic co-operation. Especially, under the framework of the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, signed in September 2009, the bilateral relations continue to be strengthened and broadened. I myself am working hard to promote Australian investors to come to Vietnam and to bring our relationship to a new height.
Economies always go up & down. It will be up again. Vietnam and Australia have the passion & motivation to overcome difficulties to keep working for further investment co-operation.
Thank you very much!
Vietnamese
