Prime Minister
PRIME MINISTER: On behalf of my delegation, we are all very pleased to be here with all of you today. We embraced as I arrived because we are friends, and Australia and Viet Nam are good friends.
Today marks 25 years since an Australian Prime Minister has come to Viet Nam on a bilateral visit. Much has happened during that time and so it is exciting that today we can reflect on all of those achievements that we have been able to bring about together as two countries, and reflect on the opportunities that we will have in the future, anchored by the strategic partnership that was signed last year by you, Prime Minister Phuc.
Trust, an equal partnership, and a commitment to an independent and sovereign Indo-Pacific. We are here because Viet Nam matters to Australia and you have made it personally very clear that Australia matters to Viet Nam.
My goal today, as we work and our wives enjoy Hanoi, is to find further concrete ways that we can further strengthen our economic and trade partnership together and address the many issues that you and I address on a daily basis to ensure strong, independent, and vibrant Indo-Pacific.
Our goal is to become top-ten trade and investment partners and our strategy will help both countries take advantage of those emerging market opportunities and shared trade commitments we have already entered into. And in particular I thank Viet Nam for its commitment for the CPTPP and we look forward to that being implemented and the benefits of that agreement assisting in developing both countries.
Our economic ministers will soon hold the inaugural Australia-Viet Nam economic partnership meeting in Australia. But today, business leaders from Australia who join me here today will speak to this relationship and their commitments and what they see as the opportunities, and I think that will be the great opportunity of this morning’s breakfast dialogue.