A series of seminars entitled “Promoting Australian-Vietnamese Agricultural Trade, Education, Culture and Cuisine Nam” took place in Hanoi, Hue and Danang from March 27th to 31st, 2023 to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Australia.

EXPAND POSSIBILITIES FOR TRADE COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

The opening event on March 27th in Hanoi is a conference session on agriculture and food, attended by more than 400 companies, organisations, associations and authorities from Australia and Vietnam.

Ms. Tran Huong, Marketing Director of the Australian Government’s Trade and Investment Agency (Austrade), said Vietnam and Australia have strong and long-term development of bilateral trade ties in education and agriculture, and continue to expand in all areas.

Both countries are forging deeper and deeper ties in agricultural trade and investment, educational partnerships, agricultural technology, educational technology and research.

Vietnam has been one of Australia’s fastest-growing trading partners in recent years, and mutual trade between the two nations has grown about 27 per cent year-on-year to around A$23.5 billion in 2022. Australia has become Vietnam’s seventh largest trading partner and Vietnam is now Australia’s tenth largest trading partner,” said Ms. Tran Huong.

Bilateral trade in agricultural, fisheries and forest products surpassed the impressive A$6 billion mark for the first time in 2022, after more than doubling in the past two years.

At the event, Australian and Vietnamese companies explored opportunities for commercial growth. The Australian delegation of 19 meat, fruit, dairy and beverage companies was given a clearer picture of Vietnam’s potential market while raising awareness of the capacity of the agricultural sector and Australia’s quality products for Vietnamese companies.

Australia’s premium exports of dairy, seafood, wine, fruit and meat bring greater variety to the Vietnamese domestic market, extending seasonal delivery times and increasing choice. Importantly, these premium products also help Vietnam to become a famous culinary destination in the world, further enhancing Vietnam’s appeal to international tourists.

Mr. Andrew Goledzinowski – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Australia to Vietnam shared: This program will strengthen cohesion and expand opportunities for Australian and Vietnamese partners in agriculture and education to meet, exchange industry and discuss trade partnerships. This program is expected to have a significant impact on trade between Vietnam and Australia by opening new opportunities in education and agriculture, the workshop series will create partnerships and new collaborations will bring benefits to both countries.

300 COOPERATIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS

Referring to the series of educational seminars organized by Austrade in Vietnam, Ms. Tran Huong said that educational cooperation between Vietnam and Australia has been developing over the past few decades, starting with the scholarship program. Educational cooperation has been expanding rapidly and extensively developed.

This is reflected in the large number of Vietnamese students studying in Australia and an increasing number of Australian educational institutions offering teaching programs and research collaborations with educational institutions in Australia.

There are currently 300 training cooperation programs, including joint programs and training links between training institutions in the two countries. More than 80,000 Vietnamese alumni who graduated from Australian educational institutions are currently working in Vietnam. Vietnam is currently the fifth largest international education market in Australia with 27,000 students studying in Australia and more than 8,000 Vietnamese studying Australian degrees in Vietnam.

Austrade will organize two seminars in 6 provinces and cities of Vietnam including Hanoi, Hue and Da Nang in March and Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Can Tho in September 2023. This series of seminars will bring many opportunities for companies and organizations of both Countries manage to network in Vietnam and cooperate comprehensively.

The first show will be held in Hanoi, Hue and Da Nang from March 27th to 31st, 2023. The education seminars introduced Vietnamese education and training institutions to the education and training professional skills of 22 leading Australian universities and academic institutions. These sessions provide opportunities to connect educational institutions, recruit students and open new commercial partnerships.