(VOVWORLD) - The new Speaker for the House of Representatives of Australia, Andrew Wallace, reiterated his nation’s desire to strengthen comprehensive relations with Vietnam while receiving Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh on Wednesday.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh (left) pays a courtesy visit to the new Speaker for the House of Representatives of Australia, Andrew Wallace (Photo: Vietnamese Embassy in Australia)

He congratulated Vietnam on outstanding socio-economic achievements in 2021 and lauded Vietnam’s pandemic containment efforts and COVID-19 vaccination, which, he said, would be a foundation for both  nations to soon resume commercial flights and  push up economic, trade and investment ties as well as people-to-people exchanges.

Ambassador Thanh said Vietnam always keeps in mind Australia’s valuable support during its cause of national construction and development over the past five decades, including Australia’s donation of COVID-19 vaccines to the country.

The two officials agreed to foster the bilateral relationship, especially their legislative ties, towards the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023.

They discussed the establishment of parliamentarians’ groups to enhance the relationship, and shared the hope for the further exchange of visits by the two countries’ leaders in efforts to take their strategic partnership to new heights.