In the aftermath of a collision between Chinese and Philippine ships in the South China Sea on March 6, Australia and Vietnam have announced they will intensify their collaboration on various fronts, including bolstered maritime cooperation through defence and intelligence-sharing. Combatting people smuggling and money laundering will also be prioritised, as well as “cyber-operations.”
Pursuing relationships with both China and the U.S. is an approach called “bamboo diplomacy” by analysts, meaning flexibility, pragmatism, and multiple objectives.
In a joint statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Vietnamese counterpart Phạm Minh Chính expressed “concerns on the situation in the South China Sea.”They reaffirmed both countries’ “commitment to peace, security, stability, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, to the respect for legal and diplomatic processes and to the settlement of disputes, including those in the South China Sea, by peaceful means without resorting to the threat or use of force.”
The leaders described the relationship between the two countries as stronger than ever, also announcing a new peacekeeping partnership that will enhance Australia’s support for Vietnam’s efforts in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
“I am confident that Australia and Vietnam can rise to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow,” Mr. Albanese told reporters during a joint press conference.
The two nations also held their first annual Australia-Vietnam trade ministers dialogue in Melbourne this week.
Trade between the two countries reached $25.7 billion (US$17 billion) in 2022—a 75 percent increase from 2020, solidifying Vietnam as Australia’s 12th largest trading partner.
As a result of these talks, 1,000 Vietnamese workers will be welcomed to Australia later this year to fill agriculture sector labour gaps in regional and remote Australia.
Additionally, a memorandum of understanding on energy and mineral cooperation has also been signed. Australia is a key coal supplier to Vietnam, accounting for 44 percent of its total coal imports.
Closer ties with Vietnam could also help Australia to diversify its supply chains away from China.
Nevertheless, the bedrock of this bilateral relationship was Australia’s multicultural community, the prime minister said.
“There are over 350,000 Australians of Vietnamese heritage and Vietnamese is the fourth most common language spoken at home in Australia,” Mr. Albanese said.
“Our connections ensure, across generations and geography, [that we will] work together as comprehensive partners.”
