40 years of progress

Is this the first time you have returned to Vietnam since you were Australian Ambassador from 1981-1983? How does it feel to be back?

I have actually been back to Vietnam six times; four times in the north and twice in the south. In 1981, when I first came to Vietnam, the country had essentially been at war since 1939. People’s living standards were very low. The economy faced many difficulties. The shadow of war was so great that it was difficult for people to walk through.

In the 40 years since, Vietnam has gradually developed. First of all, the “Doi Moi” process that began in 1986 has contributed to creating major changes in society, bringing positive results in socio-economic development. After that, Vietnam established diplomatic relations with many Western countries and joined international agreements, which contributed considerably to economic development.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Vietnam’s current GDP is higher than the Philippines and GDP per capita is just a little bit less than Indonesia’s. Over the past 40 years, Vietnam has come a very long way and the country has to be given credit for that.

Vietnam has indeed changed a lot in the past 40 years. What do you think are the biggest changes?

I think the biggest change is the huge expansion in the economy. In the past, when I was in Hanoi, there were severe limitations on food and a lot of people were bordering on being malnourished. When I first landed in Hanoi, there were only two-lane highway between the airport and the city center, and very often you had to take to the shoulder to allow vehicles to pass. The country now has a great road to the airport, which can take you there in half an hour. It is so interesting to see the expansion of Vietnam’s economy. I think everything has been remarkable.

Socially, 40 years ago, food was quite limited, though there was no famine. Hanoi’s population has reached more than 8 million people and lives have improved a great deal. One obvious change is in terms of traffic and infrastructure.

This year, Vietnam and Australia will celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. What do you think the two countries can do to strengthen the relationship?

From a relationship of medium importance, Vietnam has now become a country of primary importance for Australia. In addition to Indonesia, our largest neighbor, Vietnam is one of the countries that Australia values the most.

Diplomatic relations must be gradually and continuously consolidated, based on bilateral cooperation and mutual understanding.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have agreed to support considerations on upgrading relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. How do you assess the potential for that to happen and what do both sides need to do to make it a reality?

It will soon become a reality. The title Comprehensive Strategic Partnership shows what the two governments need to do. I hope there will be a high-level visit by Prime Minister Albanese in the context of the two countries celebrating the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Mr. Albanese is a deft leader on foreign policy. I believe he will do something that will benefit both countries. Australia has many strengths in resource exploitation, education, healthcare, and agriculture. Therefore, I think the Vietnamese Government needs to invest in the right areas to promote its strengths.

In particular, we could consider the possibility of investment cooperation in digital transformation and science and technology. Personally, I would love to see an agreement on science and technology between Vietnam and Australia. We are looking at cooperation with India and Indonesia in this area, and I would like to see similar cooperation with Vietnam.