Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (Photo: VNA)

Mr. Morrison told Vietnamese reporters about the purpose and implications of the upcoming visit, saying he will focus on strengthening economic, security and people to people cooperation between Australia and Vietnam. He said he is looking forward to meeting again with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to discuss ways to drive forward the strategic partnership which was established in 2018. Vietnam matters greatly to Australia, he added.

In 2020, Vietnam will assume the ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.  Prime Minister Morrison said both Australia and Vietnam want to see an Indo-Pacific region that is secure strategically, stable economically and sovereign politically. His Government is committed to further strengthening Australia’s ties with ASEAN, including during Vietnam’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020, to build an open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where trade, capital and ideas flow freely, and the rights of all states are respected. Australia wants to work with Vietnam on its agenda for ASEAN next year. The Australian Defense Force looks forward to continuing to strengthen engagement with Vietnam and assisting the Vietnamese People’s Army to prepare for future UN deployments in response to common security challenges.