Hanoi (VNA) – The leaders of Western Australia have expressed appreciation for and commitment to strengthening cooperation with Vietnam, highlighting shared opportunities in trade, education, tourism, and energy.
From October 9–11, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam paid an official visit to Western Australia at the invitation of the state’s leaders.
During the visit, Tam met with Governor Christopher John Dawson, Premier Roger Cook, and Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett, as well as local businesses and representatives of the Vietnamese community.
The ambassador noted that thanks to the active efforts of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Perth, ties between Western Australia and Vietnam have grown steadily in parallel with the strong momentum of the Vietnam–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
A key advantage in bilateral engagement is the direct flight connecting Perth, the capital of Western Australia, with Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest economic hub. The short flight time and competitive fares have helped boost tourism, cultural exchange, and business cooperation between the two sides.
On education, the ambassador said Vietnam and Australia have established a Joint Working Group on Transnational Education to foster collaboration in training and research.
He suggested that the University of Western Australia consider opening a campus in Vietnam, similar to the RMIT University model, and called on the state authorities to continue supporting more than 3,000 Vietnamese students studying there.
Regarding trade and investment, the ambassador emphasised Vietnam’s growing demand for raw materials from Australia, especially Western Australia’s iron ore.
Vietnam is currently one of the state’s top five iron ore importers and also has potential to export electronics, consumer goods, and construction materials to the Australian market. He also pointed out cooperation potential in skilled labor, given Western Australia’s need for construction workers and engineers.
Tam proposed pursuing a government-level agreement on mutual recognition of professional qualifications of Vietnamese and Australian engineers and technicians.
He also noted the strong two-way tourism flow, with more than 200,000 Vietnamese visiting Australia each year and about 500,000 Australians traveling to Vietnam, helping deepen mutual understanding and people-to-people ties.
Governor Dawson reaffirmed that the long-standing and effective relationship between Australia and Vietnam continues to drive cooperation in economy, trade, investment, and tourism. Premier Cook expressed a desire to further strengthen economic relations with Vietnam, particularly in energy, and revealed plans for a state delegation to visit Vietnam to explore opportunities in renewable energy collaboration.
The Premier also supported establishing a sister relationship between Western Australia and Ho Chi Minh City, given that the state’s previous partnership with Ba Ria–Vung Tau province is now administratively part of the southern metropolis.
Cockburn Mayor Howlett highlighted his city’s strengths in maritime, shipbuilding, healthcare, and heavy industry, noting that it houses a submarine maintenance facility under the AUKUS (Australia, the UK and the US) security partnership.
With future shipbuilding projects and the University of Western Australia’s planned research centre on sustainable ocean technology, he said Cockburn will create thousands of new jobs presenting opportunities for international students, including those from Vietnam.
During the trip, Tam also met Vietnamese businesses and community representatives in Western Australia, encouraging stronger business networks and support for bilateral economic and investment cooperation.
Earlier, from October 6–8, the ambassador visited Darwin in the Northern Territory, where he met with Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill and discussed potential projects involving Vietnamese enterprises, including those of Vingroup and the Vietnam–Northern Australia Business Council./.
