Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA)

During the conversations, Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that Australia, Malaysia, the Philippines are important and reliable partners that share many strategic interests with Vietnam.

He expressed his satisfaction with positive development steps in Vietnam’s Strategic Partnerships with Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines in the recent past, with political trust enhanced and trade and investment maintained despite challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Australian, Malaysian and Philippine ministers congratulated Son on his appointment as Vietnam’s FM, and congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in pandemic control and socio-economic development as well as its successes in external affairs when it was the ASEAN Chair in 2020 and is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.

They agreed to closely coordinate to promote relations with Vietnam in all aspects, with focus on promoting delegation exchanges, speeding up high-level and all-level meetings in flexible forms, effectively implementing bilateral cooperation mechanisms and agreements, strengthening and deepening security - defence collaboration, and continuing to support each other in agricultural - aquatic product exports, trade, investment and ODA cooperation.

Son thanked the Australian, Malaysian and Philippine governments for creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens living, studying and working in the host countries, effectively coordinating in joint efforts to respond to the pandemic, especially in arranging repatriation flights for Vietnamese citizens and cooperation in safe and effective access to vaccine sources. He showed his hope that Malaysia and the Philippines continue providing humanitarian treatment to arrested Vietnamese fishermen and handle the cases in a goodwill and cooperative manner.

Payne agreed to maintain the effective implementation of the Action Programme to implement the Vietnam - Australia Strategic Partnership for 2020 - 2023, to soon complete a strategy for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.

Hishammuddin affirmed to work towards the early completion of the Action Programme to implement the Vietnam - Malaysia Strategic Partnership for 2021 - 2025 and organise the sixth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Malaysia when conditions permit.

Meanwhile, Locsin affirmed to coordinate with Vietnam in carrying out activities to celebrate the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2021, holding the 10th meeting of the Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation at the foreign ministerial level, as well as effectively implementing the Action Programme to implement the Strategic Partnership between the two countries during 2019 - 2024.

Son thanked Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines for their cooperation with and support to Vietnam when it took over its role as the ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020 - 2021.

They also reached consensus on continue coordinating closely at multilateral forms and in regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Son took this occasion to invite the three ministers to visit Vietnam when conditions permit and at an appropriate time. The Australia, Malaysia and the Philippine ministers accepted the invitations with pleasure./.

BTA