Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meet with Vietnam’s Communist Party top leaders

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has addressed questions about a recent incident between a Chinese naval ship and US destroyer during peace talks with Vietnam.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with Anthony Albanese Picture: Nhac Nguyen

Anthony Albanese has condemned a Chinese warship for making an “unsafe” manoeuvre in front of a US destroyer in the South China Sea, as Australia and Vietnam cemented the importance of ensuring “safety and freedom of navigation” in the key trade route.

Complex regional challenges were among top issues on the agenda of a series of high-level meetings between the Prime Minister and the top leaders of Vietnam’s Communist Party on Sunday, with the two partners inking three new deals to strengthen economic, education and security ties.

Australia is set to look to Vietnam to help it fill some critical workforce shortages in industries such as aged care, with Business Council of Australia CEO and Western Sydney University Chancellor Jennifer Westacott calling for a skilled migration deal.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: Nhac Nguyen

Several initiatives were unveiled as part of the Memorandum of Understandings including a regular trade ministers meeting, sharing finance intelligence about money laundering and terrorism financing, and an update to Vietnam’s mining law to attract investment and develop its critical minerals industry.

Mr Albanese was also kicking goals outside of his formal events, meeting with the Young Matildas Squad, as Australia prepares to next month host the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“Wherever you are in the world, sport brings people together,” Mr Albanese said.

“By playing on the same field, abiding by the same rules, competing in a spirit of mutual respect, what team sport does and shows us is the way that we want international relations to work as well.

“Working towards that common interest, with common rules, with mutual respect.”

Mr Albanese said the Young Matildas were “representing their nation proudly” and wished them luck for their upcoming games.

“They, of course, are looking forward to Australia hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup that will take place in Australia and New Zealand,” he said.

The leaders holding a jersey of Australian national women team at the United Nations International School in Hanoi. Picture: Nhac Nguyen

But it was his visit to a beer hall for a banh mi and local beer won over his Vietnamese counterparts, with Prime Minister Pham Pham Minh Chinh saying it was the “little things” that illustrated the “deep connection” between the two countries.

Mr Albanese said the friendship between Australia and Vietnam was “absolutely vital to addressing the complex challenges” facing the region.

Asked about the latest incident between a Chinese navy ship and a US destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, Mr Albanese said: “These issues are of concern”.

“We need to make sure that all operations, maritime and aviation in the region are able to operate safely,” he said, adding he has warned that a misadventure or a miscalculation would have consequences.

“We support freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and we express that view consistently.”

Albo meetings with Vietnam's President Vo Van Thuong at the Presidential palace in Hanoi. Picture: Nhac Nguyen

Mr Pham said the two sides reaffirmed the importance of ensuring “peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight” in the sea, in line with international law, adding the two sides agreed to continue sharing information and “bolster maritime co-operation”.

China’s National Defence Minister Li Shangfu made several veiled swipes at the US during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday, and afterwards claimed the US was not in the area for “innocent passage, they are here for provocation”.

Mr Li on Saturday met with Defence Minister Richard Marles, with the pair discussing the importance of safe and professional interactions in the air and sea, the resumption of defence talks, and trade tariffs on Australian goods.

Mr Albanese started his final morning in Hanoi by laying a wreath at the tomb of revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, before receiving a ceremonial welcome at the presidential palace.