AusCham Welcomes State Visit of Australia’s Governor-General to Vietnam

Hanoi, Vietnam - AusCham is honoured to acknowledge the state visit of Her Excellency the Hon. Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General of Australia, to Vietnam from 10-12 September 2025. The visit marked a significant milestone in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Australia and Vietnam, building on over five decades of diplomatic relations and deepening cooperation across multiple sectors.

President Luong Cuong and Governor-General Sam Mostyn review the guard of honour of the Vietnam People’s Army

During this important visit, AusCham was privileged to join several highlights of the Governor-General’s program. On 10 September, AusCham Director Skye Maconachie attended the State Banquet at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, hosted by His Excellency State President Lương Cường. Two days later, on 12 September, AusCham Director Rodney Stone joined the State Banquet at the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City, hosted by Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Trần Lưu Quang. Both occasions served as important platforms to celebrate the enduring friendship between Australia and Vietnam and to reaffirm the significance of strengthening diplomatic, business and community ties.

In addition, AusCham Director Ryan Nguyen, an Australian alumnus, had the privilege of meeting personally with the Governor-General. He shared AusCham’s mission of connecting the Australian-Vietnamese community and business sector, emphasising our role in fostering people-to-people links and practical business partnerships. Her Excellency expressed strong interest in AusCham’s initiatives and offered encouragement for our continued contribution to advancing bilateral cooperation.

AusCham was also proud to take part in the Vietnam-Australia Forum 2025: “Building Public Service Excellence in a New Era of Growth”, co-chaired by Governor-General Mostyn and Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Xuân Thắng at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. The Forum, a flagship initiative of the Vietnam-Australia Centre (VAC) supported by the Australian Government, serves as an annual platform for open dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the generation of bold ideas to advance long-term cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

This year’s Forum convened more than 500 senior leaders, policymakers, academics, and innovators from both nations. In her remarks, Governor-General Mostyn underscored the significance of the discussions, noting: “The theme of this year’s Forum has resonance for both our countries, and relevance to our plans for the future, both as sovereign nations and as regional partners. The reason we are here today-to exchange ideas and learn from each other about public sector reform-is that our countries are longstanding friends.”

The Governor-General’s visit more broadly reaffirmed Australia's commitment to expanding cooperation with Vietnam across a wide range of sectors, including trade and investment, climate action, education, defence and security, and innovation. Just as importantly, it underscored the enduring power of people-to-people links - from the 350,000-strong Vietnamese community in Australia to the thousands of Vietnamese students studying there and contributing to shared prosperity.

For AusCham, this visit was a reminder of our unique role in helping to translate high-level commitments into practical outcomes for business and community. It represents an opportunity to deepen engagement, champion reforms and strengthen connections that will benefit our members and contribute to the broader Australia-Vietnam relationship for years to come.