PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Mr President, you’re wonderful, generous hosts and I am looking forward to discussing so many issues. Congratulations on holding a very outstanding APEC.
HIS EXCELLENCY MR TRAN DAI QUANG, PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM: [TRANSLATION]
In first instance, Prime Minister I would like to extend a very warm welcome to you and all the members of the high level delegation of Australia to Vietnam and to Da Nang.
I highly value the visit by Your Excellency Prime Minister to Vietnam to attend the APEC Economic Leaders Week of 2017, and I believe that your visit will make very important contributions to the success of the APEC Economic Leaders Week in particular the APEC 2017 and Vietnam in general.
I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the Government of Australia for your companionship and your valuable support and assistance extended to Vietnam throughout the year 2017 and especially for the preparations for the APEC Economic Leaders Week.
And I would like to congratulate Australia on the very important achievements that you have recorded over the past years, and the leadership of the Australian Government led by Your Excellency Prime Minister.
I am very glad to see the very positive development of the bilateral relations between Vietnam and Australia across all areas over the past few years and especially our two countries are working towards the establishment of the Strategic Partnership in the near future.
And at the same time I’d like to express our warm welcome for the visit to Vietnam by Australian Governor-General, His Excellency Peter Cosgrove in May 2018.
And I understand that after this meeting Your Excellency will have talks with Prime Minister Phuc and you will discuss many concrete issues, and especially the preparations for the two countries to establish the framework for the Strategic Partnership.
Therefore, I thank you very much for spending your time to visit Vietnam and attend the APEC Summit.
PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you very much, Mr President for your very warm welcome.
Congratulations on Vietnam’s hosting of the APEC Economic Leaders Conference.
It is a very important time in the economic history of our region, as we stand together to defend free trade and open markets in the face of rising headwinds of protectionism in many parts of the world.
I also want to convey to you on behalf of the Australian people, our condolences on the deaths of so many people involved in the recent typhoon.
Thank you.