Enhanced Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership brings bilateral relationship to new heights

Today a Declaration on Enhancing the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership was signed by the Australian Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP and HE Mr Nguyen Van Nen, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office, and witnessed by Australian Prime Minister the Hon Tony Abbott MP and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The Enhanced Comprehensive Partnership builds on the previous Comprehensive Partnership Agreement, signed in 2009. It further expands the strong relationship between Australia and Vietnam, and better reflects the current dynamics of the region, and the level of maturity in our bilateral relationship.

“The visit by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Australia this week has brought our bilateral relationship to new heights,” according to the Australian Ambassador, HE Mr Hugh Borrowman. “The Declaration on Enhancing the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership provides a high-level strategic framework for a deeper and broader relationship going forward.”

The Enhanced Comprehensive Partnership has a new emphasis on economic diplomacy – supporting global prosperity through Australia’s diplomatic assets – and builds on key areas of strength in our bilateral relationship such as the education sector, and development cooperation. It also promotes newer areas of cooperation such as on legal, agricultural, and environmental and climate change issues.

Recognising the importance to both countries of a secure and stable regional environment, the Enhanced Comprehensive Partnership also emphasises strategic considerations, especially in the region.

A revised Plan of Action which outlines the practical steps towards our new and refocused priority areas of cooperation will be signed later in the year.

For further details, please see the Joint Statement and the Declaration on Enhancing the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership.