Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam (fourth from right) and Sharon Claydon, Deputy Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives (fifth from right), together with the core members of the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group. Photo: Vietnam Embassy in Australia

At the meeting, the Ambassador expressed his hope that the group will quickly grow, recruit new members, and become one of the largest friendship parliamentarians’ groups in the Australian Parliament, so as to actively contribute to the friendship and cooperation between the two parliaments and between the two countries.

He emphasized the important role of the Vietnamese community in Australia, a large constituency of more than 350,000 people, with many groups enthusiastically supporting the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Deputy Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Sharon Claydon said she will continue to make a list of new members of the Group who are interested in Vietnam and the cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Claydon added she is personally ready to welcome high-level delegations from Vietnam to visit Australia and will plan to visit Vietnam with members of the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group.