Vietnamese NA Chairman receives new Australian Ambassador
National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man received Australian Ambassador Gillian Bird in Hanoi on June 9 as the diplomat began her tenure in Vietnam.
At the meeting, Ambassador Bird expressed her honor to assume the role at a time when Vietnam – Australia relations are flourishing. She highlighted progress across traditional areas such as politics, defence – security, trade, education – training, and culture, as well as in emerging fields like climate change response, clean energy, digital transformation, science – technology, and innovation.
The Australian Government views Vietnam as an important partner in its Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, she stated.
The ambassador thanked Chairman Man for his efforts in advancing parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, including hosting the President of the Australian Senate, Sue Lines, in 2024, according to VNA.
 |
| Vietnamese NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man receives new Australian Ambassador Gillian Bird (Photo: VNA) |
She reaffirmed the Australian Parliament’s commitment to the bilateral parliamentary ties and conveyed an invitation from the Senate President for Chairman Man to pay an official visit to Australia.
She also expressed her honor to attend the opening sitting of the Vietnamese NA's ninth session, voicing her admiration for its ongoing efforts in institutional reform, apparatus streamlining, and creation of a more favorable legal environment.
Vietnam remains a popular destination among Australian travellers, with approximately 500,000 Australians visiting each year, according to the ambassador.
For his part, Chairman Man noted that the upgrade of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024 provides favorable conditions for Ambassador Bird to have a successful tenure to further contribute to robust cooperation between the two countries.
He extended congratulations to the Australian Labour Party and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on their victory in the recent 48th federal election, and expressed satisfaction with the bilateral relations now in their prime. Bilateral trade reached over 14 billion USD in 2024 while Australia currently has 660 investment projects in Vietnam with a total capital exceeding 2 billion USD, ranking 21st out of the 149 countries and territories investing here.
The top legislator also spoke highly of Australia’s ongoing implementation of the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, suggesting the two sides work to boost economic collaboration and further expand market access, thus raising bilateral trade to 20 billion USD and doubling mutual investment.
Chairman Man also applauded the growing cooperation between the two legislatures, citing the visit by Senate President Sue Lines and exchanges among parliamentary friendship groups, female and young parliamentarians. He proposed continued delegation exchanges and experience sharing in legislation and supervision of the implementation of high-level agreements.
He acknowledged the Australian Government’s official development assistance (ODA) totalling around 3 billion AUD (more than 1.9 billion USD) over more than 50 years, describing it as a meaningful contribution to Vietnam’s socio-economic development.
Projects like the Cao Lanh and My Thuan bridges have become symbols of bilateral ties, he went on, welcoming Australia’s support for climate change response efforts in the Mekong Delta and calling for continued assistance in essential infrastructure development.
Regarding legal reform, Chairman Man said the Vietnamese NA is reviewing laws to create a favorable legal climate for FDI and ODA projects and considering updates to procedural legislation.
He also appreciated the Australian Government’s support for the Vietnamese community of around 350,000 people living and studying in the country, and reaffirmed Australia’s popularity as a top education destination for Vietnamese families. He asked Ambassador Bird to advocate favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to thrive and integrate in Australia.
Vietnam supports France's initiatives to tackle non-traditional security challenges
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son held talks with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot in Nice on June 8.
Bui, who is in France to attend the 3rd UN Ocean Conference, highly valued the positive development of the Vietnam-France relations over the past time, especially since the two countries elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the occasion of General Secretary To Lam's visit to France in October last year.
He also spoke highly of France's preparations for co-hosting the 3rd UN Ocean Conference, affirming Vietnam's support for France's initiatives to tackle non-traditional security challenges, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
Barrot, for his part, appreciated Vietnam's active support and engagement in the UN Ocean Conference as well as its active and responsible role on the international arena.
France attaches importance to the relations with Vietnam – an important country in ASEAN and in France's Indo-Pacific Strategy, and wishes to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in a bid to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, affirmed Barrot.
Both sides agreed to coordinate closely in promoting the exchange of delegations at all levels and effectively implementing the agreements signed between the two countries to promote bilateral cooperation in the areas of France's strength and Vietnam's needs such as defense and security, transport, energy.
Bui took the occasion to invite France to join the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybersecurity scheduled to take place in Hanoi in October this year, cited VGP.
 |
| Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (R) and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, Nice, June 8, 2025. |
Barrot affirmed that his country would push for the early ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to facilitate investment between the two countries.
He promised to intensify cooperation with Vietnam in science and technology – a new pillar of the Vietnam-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Both sides also discussed regional and international issues of common concern, underscoring the importance of multilateralism, in which the United Nations plays the central role.
Regarding ocean related issues, the two sides emphasized that the 1982 United Nations on the Law of the Sea is a comprehensive legal framework governing all maritime activities.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the regions, resolving disputes through peaceful measures grounded in international law, and supporting all efforts to reach a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is effective and substantive in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Also at the meeting, Bui invited Barrot to visit Vietnam and the latter accepted the invitation with pleasure.
Fisherman rescues eight foreigners adrift at sea off Southern Vietnam
A local fisherman has rescued eight foreign nationals found adrift in a small makeshift raft off the coast of Ca Mau province, Southern Vietnam.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Hai, head of Khanh Hoi Border Guard Station, said on June 9 the group comprising seven Thai nationals and one Cambodian was brought safely to shore.
The dramatic rescue took place on June 8 afternoon, when Dang Van Phil, a 38-year-old fisherman from Khanh Binh Tay Bac commune was operating his fishing boat, CM-91753, and spotting a raft carrying the distressed foreigners at around 2:00 PM, VNA reported.
 |
| Eight foreigners drifting at sea in small raft are rescued by a local fisherman. |
Phil quickly alerted the boat’s owner, Phan Tan Sin, who in turn contacted the local Border Guard Station. Authorities then coordinated with Phil and requested his assistance in transporting the victims to land.
Upon arrival, the rescued individuals received medical check-ups, food, and water to meet their immediate needs.
According to initial accounts, the foreigners had been crew members aboard a food supply vessel with nine people when the ship encountered an accident and sank. While one person remains missing, the other eight managed to survive by constructing a makeshift raft and drifting at sea for several hours before being spotted.
The border guard force is currently carrying out all necessary procedures to hand over the foreigners to competent agencies.
Vietnam, Laos strengthen sports cooperation
A cooperation agreement between Vietnam’s Dong Luc Sports Group and the Lao Football Federation (LFF) was signed in Vientiane on June 9, aiming to provide Jogarbola-branded sportswear for the Lao national football team.
Attending the event were representatives from the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports and the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, LFF President Viphet Sihachakr, and Dong Luc Marketing Director Le Vu Hong Ngoc, who represents the Jogarbola sports brand.
Ngoc expressed pride in supporting Lao football in its journey toward future milestones and achievements. The LFF representative also affirmed that the cooperation would help project a more professional and modern image for Lao national teams, reported VNA.
 |
| Vietnam, Laos strengthen sports cooperation (Photo: VNA) |
Under the agreement, from 2025 to 2029, Jogarbola will sponsor and supply official match kits, training gear, and high-quality sports equipment for all Lao national teams, including men’s, women’s, Olympic (U23), and youth teams under the Lao Football Federation.
 | Vietnam News Today (Jun. 5): National public service portal to be turned into single all-in-one online platform; Vietnam and United States step up trade agreement ... |
 | Vietnam News Today (Jun. 6): Foreign Investment in Vietnam Surges in Five Months Vietnam News Today (Jun. 6): Vietnam helps position SEARP as regional cooperation pillar with substantive impacts: Deputy FM; Estonia considers Vietnam a key partner in ... |
