Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Vietnamese President and Communist Party General Secretary To Lam in Canberra, with both sides agreeing to further deepen economic and strategic cooperation and reaffirming support for a rules-based multilateral trading system. The two countries said reliable supply chains are crucial to economic and regional security amid rising global protectionism and geopolitical instability.
Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in defence, maritime and border security, the digital economy, agriculture, energy, critical minerals, research and innovation. Vietnam also agreed to open its market to Australian kangaroo and venison, while the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) received approval to invest in a campus in Hanoi. VietJet Air also announced plans to begin flights to the newly opened Western Sydney International Airport next year.
The two leaders also stressed their shared goal of maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. However, their talks did not publicly address China’s role in the region or security issues in the South China Sea.
To Lam’s visit also sparked human rights concerns. Some Vietnamese Australians protested near Parliament, criticising the Vietnamese government for suppressing dissent and violating human rights, and calling on the Australian government to raise these issues with Hanoi while deepening economic ties.
John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch, described Vietnam as a closed society, saying political dissidents, trade unions and protests face strict restrictions. He urged Australia to use its bilateral trade relationship to press Vietnam to improve labour and human rights protections.
The Vietnamese government denied the allegations, stressing that the constitution protects fundamental freedoms and that social stability, economic development and poverty reduction remain priorities. Neither side took questions from journalists at the joint press conference following the meeting.