HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City hopes to enhance cooperationwith Australia in several potential fields to bring practical benefits forpeople on both sides, said Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee andChairwoman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam.

Hosting a reception for Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives TonySmith on July 25, Tam spoke highly of her guest’s visit to Vietnam, saying thatit will help foster sound cooperation between the two nations.

As a leading locality in foreign affairs and cooperation with foreigncountries, Ho Chi Minh City has organised a string of friendship programmeswith Australia, as well as carried out effective activities across educationand training, investment, tourism, and culture, she noticed.

Describing the municipal socio-economic development, Tam said that besidesrobust achievements, the city still faces some challenges in its urbandevelopment process, including traffic jams, environmental pollution, andinundation.

She proposed Smith continue promoting the relations between the city andAustralia, particularly in areas of both sides’ strengths, while boostingpeople-to-people exchange and sharing experience in the fields of mutual concerns.

Smith, for his part, expressed his delight over the strong Vietnam-Australiarelations, saying that both nations have enhanced their high-level exchanges,and friendship activities in politics, foreign affairs, economy, andpeople-to-people diplomacy.

This is Smith’s first visit to Vietnam as the Australian Speaker of the Houseof Representatives, during which he aims to promote cooperative ties betweenthe two legislatives bodies, thus consolidating and developing the friendshipbetween the two nations.

Besides investment and tourism, the education sector poses huge potential forcooperation for both sides, he stressed.

More than 1,500 Australian students have pursued study and research in Vietnamsince 2014, and in return, many Vietnamese students have studied and worked inAustralia. They serve as a bridge to connect and contribute to the friendshipbetween the two countries, he underlined.

Smith affirmed that he will do his utmost to step up cooperative activitieswith the Vietnamese side, as well as branch out cooperative programmes anddelegation exchanges so as to foster the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership.

Tony Smith is currently on his three-day official visit to Vietnam at theinvitation of Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi KimNgan.–VNA