Vietnamese dragon fruit is welcomed in the Australian market (Photo: VNA)Sydney (VNA) - Vietnamese businesses in Australia have madesignificant contributions to the growth of Vietnam-Australia trade in 2020,Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh said at a ceremony to reviewactivities of the Vietnamese Entrepreneurs Association in Sydney (VEAS) onDecember 5.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has battered the global economy, resulting inthe sharp fall in Australia’s trade with the rest of the world,Vietnam-Australia trade has grown 2.2 percent in the period from October 1, the Vietnamesediplomat said, adding the business communities in both nations have played animportant role in the trade gain.
Since the two countries upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership in March2018, the bilateral relations have developed to a new high. Most recently,Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and AustralianForeign Minister Marise Payne on November 5 officially inked an actionprogramme to carry out the strategic partnership based on three pillars ofeconomy, defence-security, and reform. Ambassador Thanh described the programme as a baseto implement cooperative activities between the two nations in a more practicalmanner, particularly in the field of economy.
Hestressed that the embassy and other representative offices in Australia will dotheir utmost to support enterprises of both sides to develop their businessactivities in the time ahead.
At the event, TMS Chairman Nguyen Ba Luan, who is also the VEAS President, saidbesides overcoming challenges during pandemic, over 60 VEAS members have engaged in manyactivities to support their homeland, including sending home 15,000USD to build flood-resistance houses in flood-hit regions.
In addition, the VEAS’s executive board helped its members to popularise andsell Vietnamese agricultural products in Sydney such as red-flesh dragon fruits,he added./.
VNA
