During the meeting, Mr. Chris Picton stated that Vietnam is the first destination in his overseas working visit in his capacity as the South Australian Minister for State Development, underscoring the state’s strong commitment to cooperation with Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City.
He also noted that South Australia plans to establish a permanent trade representative office in Ho Chi Minh City by the end of this year, aiming to promote long-term investment and trade cooperation between the two sides.
According to him, South Australia wishes to strengthen cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City in three key areas, namely international education, renewable energy, and the resumption of the direct air route between Adelaide and Ho Chi Minh City.
He added that more than 1,000 Vietnamese students are currently studying in Adelaide, and there remains significant potential for further collaboration between universities and training institutions on both sides.
The South Australian Minister for State Development also said that the delegation had worked with Vietjet to promote the resumption of a direct air route between Adelaide and Ho Chi Minh City amid a strong surge in Australian visitor arrivals to Vietnam, which are now more than 40 percent higher than pre-Covid-19 levels.
Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Hoang Nguyen Dinh highly appreciated the proposal by South Australia to establish a trade representative office in Ho Chi Minh City. He also noted that the resumption of a direct flight route would create a favourable foundation for enhanced economic, trade, and educational cooperation and person-to-person exchanges between the two sides.
He welcomed South Australia’s cooperation plans with the city and affirmed Ho Chi Minh City’s readiness to coordinate in promoting areas of collaboration aligned with the development orientations of both sides in the coming period.
