Hugh Borrowman, the Australian Ambassador to Vietnam talked with Vietnam Economic News' Nguyen Huong about the cooperation between Vietnam and Australia on the occasion of the Year of the Snake, and 40 years of the diplomatic relation between Vietnam and Australia (1973 - 2013).
Vietnam and Australia established diplomatic relations 40 years ago. As a representative of the Australian Government and people, can you give some assessments on the two countries' cooperation ties, especially in economic cooperation at present and in the coming time?
The 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Australia in 2013 will be an important milestone. The relationship has come a long way in the last 40 years. Australia now considers Vietnam one of its most important regional partners. Our partnership with Vietnam is deep and broad, with strong political, economic, security and education links. Connections between Australian and Vietnamese people reinforce these links.
Our trade and economic relationship continues to blossom. Two-way trade was worth more than AUD6.5 billion in 2011-2012, having grown at an average of 10 percent a year over the last decade. This makes Vietnam Australia's fastest growing trading partner in ASEAN.
Australia's merchandise exports to Vietnam in 2011-2012 totalled AUD2.0 billion. Our main exports included wheat, gold, copper, ferrous metal, coal and aluminium. In the same period, Australia's merchandise imports from Vietnam totalled AUD2.8 billion. Oil made up 45 percent of this amount. Other major imports included telecommunications equipment, furniture, cashew nuts and footwear.
Services trade between our countries has shown particularly strong growth. Australia is now the leading destination for Vietnamese studying overseas. Vietnam is an increasingly popular tourist destination for Australians.
Australia is ranked 21st in overall foreign direct investment in Vietnam - though this ranking does not reflect recent significant expansions by Australian companies already operating here. Prominent Australian investors include ANZ Bank, Commonwealth Bank, QBE, RMIT, Santos, Qantas, BlueScope Steel, Interflour and Strategic Marine.
The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement will provide new opportunities in the region, including in Vietnam, for Australian and Vietnamese exporters and investors. The agreement, which came into effect on 1 January 2010, will eventually eliminate tariffs on 90 to 100 per cent of tariff lines.
In November 2012, Australia and Vietnam were among sixteen regional countries that launched negotiations for a new trade agreement - the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. These countries account for almost half of the world's population and 30 per cent of global GDP. Australia and Vietnam also continue to cooperate in Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations.
What could we do to promote relationship between the two countries effectively and comprehensively? Could you tell us some programs which Australian Embassy is going to do to enhance the cooperation between the two sides in 2013?
I encourage all readers to participate in the exciting program of events we're planning to celebrate the anniversary next year. These activities are intended to highlight the strength and breadth of Australia's friendship with Vietnam.
Pat Farmer, an Australian endurance runner and former Member of Parliament, kicked off the celebrations when he started a 3000 kilometre run through Vietnam in December 2012. Major events next year will include a tour by the contemporary dance company Bangarra Dance Theatre and a Questacon science exhibition. The program of activities will showcase Australian culture, creativity and scientific knowledge.
We've set up an 'Australia in Vietnam' Facebook page to share information about the program and Australia's activities in Vietnam more broadly.
Australia has greatly supported Vietnam in education and training. Could you tell us about this support program in the development cooperation between the two countries? Will Australia continue providing scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in Australia?
Education cooperation is among the most longstanding elements in the bilateral relationship.This cooperation is now multi-faceted, including scholarships, self-funded students, the delivery of Australian courses in Vietnam, research collaboration and policy dialogue.
Australia continues to be a leading provider of scholarships to Viet Nam through the Australia Awards, which include opportunities for study, research and professional development. Some 4,000 scholarships for Vietnam have been offered over the past 40 years. The Australia Awards now also enable Australians to come to Vietnam for study, research and professional development.
Australia continues to be a leading study destination for Vietnamese students, with more than 20,000 enrolments in Australian courses by Vietnamese students in 2012. Australia remains an attractive destination due to confidence in the quality of Australian education, the overall student experience in Australia, the employment outcomes for Australian graduates and Australia's robust consumer protection for international students.
Australian education is also delivered in Vietnam. RMIT Vietnam has now produced more than 4,000 graduates with Australian qualifications.
Australian qualifications are increasingly delivered in partnership with Vietnamese institutions, allowing more Vietnamese students to benefit from an Australian education. The University of Queensland, La Trobe, Swinburne and Box Hill Institute have all entered into long-standing, mutually beneficial education partnerships in Vietnam. The Australian government is committed to ensuring the quality of Australian qualifications, wherever they are delivered.
The growing education relationship was reflected in the 2011 establishment of the Vietnam-Australia Joint Working Group on Education and Training. Through this group, Australia and Vietnam regularly exchange ideas on the challenges of developing policies and implementing programs to deliver quality education, including to disadvantaged and remote communities, and technical skills to meet the changing needs of industry.
How long have you been in Vietnam as the Ambassador to Vietnam? What is your impression about Viet Nam?
I've been Australia's Ambassador to Vietnam for around five months now. It's been a great experience so far - Vietnam is a fascinating country, and I've enjoyed living in Hanoi. I'm looking forward to learning even more about the country and Vietnamese people over the next three years.
The thing that has struck me most about Vietnam during my first five months here is the Vietnamese people. In particular, I've been impressed by their energy, openness, and positive and forward-looking outlook. I've also been very interested to learn more about Vietnamese culture and history./.
Source VEN