The former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam emphasized that Vietnam has a stable political system, which is one of its greatest strengths for economic development and expanding international cooperation.
“Vietnam has a stable political system, and that is one of the great strengths of this Southeast Asian nation.” This was the assessment of Andrew Goledzinowski, former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam from 2022-2024, in an interview with a VNA reporter in Australia.
Mr. Goledzinowski believes that Vietnam is at a historic moment. The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is an event of particularly significant importance.
According to him, Vietnam’s future lies in adapting to the rapidly changing international context in terms of economics , politics, and geostrategy. To prepare for that new era, Vietnam itself needs to enter a new era. Therefore, this Congress is of immense importance.
Vietnam has set goals to “strive to become a developing country with modern industry and high middle income by 2030… and strive to become a developed country with high income by 2045.” Based on Vietnam’s achievement of a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of over 8% in 2022, Mr. Goledzinowski believes that Vietnam can do even better in the coming years.
Former Ambassador Goledzinowski noted another point: Vietnam’s demographic structure is changing. Although still a young nation, this is also a time when Vietnam needs to make stronger efforts, as the population growth rate is slowing down rapidly. According to him, this is an important factor that could affect Vietnam’s growth potential in the future.
Furthermore, he argued that changes in technology, demographic structure, and competitive pressures among nations will not wait. Therefore, to achieve the set economic goals, Vietnam needs to remain steadfast in its current direction and maintain its rapid development momentum.
Mr. Goledzinowski also noted that Vietnam is opening up to the world in a balanced way. In recent years, Vietnam has proactively upgraded its relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships with many important partners.
Former Ambassador Goledzinowski recalled that when he first took office in Vietnam, this Southeast Asian nation had only three Comprehensive Strategic Partners: Russia, China, and India, which were traditional partners. Subsequently, Vietnam aimed to expand its strategic partnerships to include South Korea, Japan, Australia, France, Malaysia, the United States, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. According to him, this was a clear strategy, demonstrating Vietnam’s long-term vision for its position and future development in a changing world.
This is also a sign of Vietnam’s growing international prestige. According to the annual soft power ranking of countries published by the Lowy Institute (Australia), by 2025, Vietnam’s soft power ranking will rise faster than any other country, indicating its increasingly strengthened position in the world.
Mr. Goledzinowski believes that Vietnam’s role in this regard will be increasingly strengthened, alongside the country’s growing confidence both regionally and globally.
Against the backdrop of complex regional and global developments, former Ambassador Goledzinowski believes that the current Vietnam-Australia relationship is more important than ever. Both countries are nations with open foreign policies and trade-oriented economies.
Both Australia and Vietnam are strongly committed to the United Nations system of peacekeeping and respect for the international rule of law, elements that form the foundation of their ties.
According to him, the economies of the two countries are complementary, not directly competitive, but rather cooperative for mutual development. The long history of cooperation has also contributed to building political trust, creating a foundation for the continued promotion of bilateral relations in the future.
Former Ambassador Goledzinowski expressed his optimism about the bilateral relationship and that is why he is working hard to promote relations between Australia and Vietnam in all areas.
