Australian newly-appointed Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew John Lech Goledznowski has given general assessments of the potential to further promote multifaceted relations between Vietnam and Australia, saying that there are many opportunities for the two countries to expand their relations in the future.
As an Ambassador, he really wants to build and grow the relationship between the two countries, he said in a recent interview granted to Vietnam News Agency.
According to the ambassador, Vietnam is a dynamic and vibrant country with full of optimism, enthusiasm, energy, and goodwill towards Australia. “People to people links between the two countries have grown so strongly over the last 50 years," he said, adding there're important political and, strategic links between the two countries.
Ambassador Goledznowski highlighted the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership's strong development in recent years, saying that there is a large number of different agreements and arrangements, and they have expanded rapidly. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have continued to see momentum grow in their relationship, he said, citing Aus4Innovation programme as an example.
Through the programme, the Australian government spent 14.5 million AUD to strengthen Vietnam's innovation systems, and to help prepare for the 4.0 industry revolution in both countries, he said.
The Australian government consider ASEAN a centre of its policy in the Indo Pacific, he said, adding that Vietnam is at the centre of ASEAN - a very important player for his country. Australia looks to further strengthen peacekeeping partnership with Vietnam, he said. Since Vietnam has been involved in peacekeeping operations in the last decade, Australia has worked with Vietnam.
The country has helped Vietnam with four airlifts of Vietnamese peacekeeping forces to South Sudan, trained Vietnamese peacekeepers and provided equipment, according to the ambassador. According the diplomat, for Australia, ASEAN is at the centre of its policy in the Indo Pacific.
And Vietnam is at the centre of ASEAN, so it is also an important player for Australia. There are three areas of cooperation that are being effectively implemented and will reach new heights in the future, including economic cooperation; exchange of knowledge, education and innovation programmes; and strategic and security cooperation. Bilateral trade has also grown fast, he said, noting that the two countries are aiming to become each other's 10th largest trading partner.
Regarding investment, Australia wants to double its investment over the next few years, he said, adding that this is possible because Vietnam is opening up. He also congratulated Vietnam on its success in controlling and preventing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Australia are looking forward to further strengthening health cooperation with Vietnam in order to jointly dealing with future health challenges. “Vietnam has the plan to become a fully developed economy by 2045. That includes having a fully developed health system. So I think there's a lot we can do together. And it's one area of continuing interest for us,” he said./.
