SYDNEY, Aug 11 (Reuters) – Australia and Vietnam agreed on Tuesday to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership, signing cooperation agreements spanning defence, agriculture and border security.
The two countries also voiced concern about restrictive trade practices that disrupt global supply chains, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Vietnamese President To Lam said in a joint statement issued during Lam’s official visit to Australia.
They agreed to strengthen cooperation on supply chains in areas including critical minerals, semiconductors and clean energy, the statement said.
The leaders witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the Australian Border Force to cooperate on maritime law enforcement. Another was signed to enhance cooperation and mutual assistance between the two countries’ border forces, Vietnam’s government said in a separate statement.
“We agree that, amid rapid and complex developments around the world, countries need to strengthen dialogue, build trust, ensure security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, and settle disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law,” Lam said in a joint media appearance with Albanese.
Australia regularly deploys naval vessels and surveillance aircraft in the South China Sea as part of its Indo-Pacific operations. In April, Australia joined Canada and the United States in a multilateral transit through the waterway, where Vietnam, China and several other countries have overlapping territorial claims.
Bilateral trade rose 22% year-on-year in the first half of 2026 to $8.1 billion, according to the joint statement. Vietnam’s main exports to Australia include electronics, smartphones and garments, while it imports Australian coal, minerals and natural gas.
(Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Additional reporting by Khanh Vu in Hanoi; Editing by David Stanway)
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