The consensus was reached by Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President To Lam and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during their talks in Canberra as part of the former’s state visit to Australia.

The leaders expressed satisfaction with the development of Vietnam-Australia relations after more than half a century, particularly since the two countries upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024.

The two sides welcomed the positive and effective implementation of the Action Program to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2024-2027, with positive results achieved across all six pillars of the relationship.

Expanding cooperation in strategic technology fields

During the talks, To Lam and Anthony Albanese agreed to make science-technology, innovation, and digital transformation new drivers of relations between the two countries.

The strategic areas of cooperation identified by the two leaders include artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technology, biotechnology, biomedicine, marine research, critical minerals, and green hydrogen.

The two sides also agreed to promote joint research projects; strengthen connections among universities, research institutes, and businesses; work toward establishing a Vietnam-Australia technology connectivity ecosystem; and develop high-quality human resources.

Speaking to the press after the talks, the Vietnamese leader said the two countries would further strengthen cooperation in AI, semiconductors, digital technology, cybersecurity, green technology, and emerging technologies, while supporting efforts to enhance their capacity to participate more deeply in regional and global supply chains.

Anthony Albanese said the two sides had consented to strengthen cooperation and further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including in defense, maritime affairs, border security, the digital economy, agriculture, energy, mining, technology, science, and innovation.

In Canberra, the two leaders exchanged a Joint Statement on Enhancement of Science, Technology and Innovation Connectivity between Vietnam and Australia.

The statement affirmed the shared commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in science, technology and innovation, building on the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and their Joint Statement on Economic Resilience Cooperation.

The two leaders recognized science, technology, and innovation as an important pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as well as a driver of sustainable growth, productivity, resilience, and competitiveness.

The Joint Statement welcomed the Australia-Vietnam Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Initiative, which supports joint research projects involving universities, research institutes, and businesses from the two countries.

The two sides also welcomed the commencement of Phase II of the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technologies Center (AVSTC), a landmark partnership to advance collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, with an initial focus on the transformative applications of 5G and other enabling technologies.

Linking technology cooperation with economic resilience

Technology cooperation was also addressed in the Joint Statement on Vietnam-Australia on Economic Resilience Cooperation.

The two sides agreed to coordinate efforts to support transparent, diversified, secure, sustainable, reliable, economically efficient, and resilient supply chains in areas such as critical minerals, semiconductors, and clean energy.

They concurred that economic resilience is foundational to national security and prosperity, while reaffirming the importance of the rules-based multilateral trading system, with a reformed World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core.

The two countries will work together to support transparent, diversified, secure, sustainable, trustworthy, reliable, economically efficient and resilient supply chains in areas such as critical minerals, semiconductors, and clean energy, including through their development partnership, joint promotion of investment opportunities, and deeper private sector engagement.

Both sides also committed to sharing information on foreign investment screening and providing updates on relevant policies. They will seek opportunities to enhance collaboration on research security and integrity, recognizing the importance of trusted research.

They committed to cooperating on the management of risks posed by critical and emerging technologies, while working together to promote opportunities created by emerging technologies.

Recognizing that the region’s secure connectivity is essential to its growth and prosperity, the leaders agreed to support safe, secure and trustworthy digital ecosystems in the Indo-Pacific region, including artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure such as telecommunications, undersea cables and data centres

Targeting bilateral trade of $20 billion

In economic, trade, and investment cooperation, the leaders emphasized the need to leverage the complementarity between the two economies, make use of the free trade agreements to which Vietnam and Australia are both parties, remove barriers, and facilitate business activities.

The two sides aim to raise bilateral trade to $20 billion, while promoting supply chain linkages, high-quality investment, and cooperation in the green economy, digital economy, new energy, and future industries.

According to official information from the Vietnamese side, two-way trade has doubled over the past five years, reaching more than $14 billion in 2025.

After their talks, To Lam and Anthony Albanese exchanged three joint statements, including the Joint Statement on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; the Joint Statement on Economic Resilience Cooperation; and the Joint Statement on the Enhancement of Science, Technology and Innovation Connectivity between Vietnam and Australia.

The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of seven cooperation documents, including six memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and one protocol amending and supplementing an existing intergovernmental agreement.

The MoUs cover agriculture and sustainable rural development; maritime law enforcement; cooperation and mutual assistance in border guard affairs; vocational education; the digital economy; and healthcare.

The remaining document is the Protocol amending and supplementing the Air Services Agreement between the governments of Australia and Vietnam.