The first session of the Vietnam - Australia Ministerial Dialogue on Energy and Minerals
On the occasion of accompanying Party General Secretary and President To Lam on his state visit to Australia, on August 11, 2026, in Canberra, Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung and Australian Minister for Resources Madeleine King co-chaired the first session of the Vietnam - Australia Ministerial Dialogue on Energy and Minerals.
Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung and Australian Minister for Resources Madeleine King. Photo: MoIT
The establishment and implementation of the Ministerial Dialogue mechanism on Energy and Minerals under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in March 2024 was assessed by both sides as an important step forward within the framework of the Vietnam - Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting the strong determination of the two countries to bring energy and mineral cooperation to a new level, one that is more substantive and effective.
Minister Le Manh Hung and the delegation at the first meeting. Photo: MoIT.
The two ministers positively assessed the mineral and energy supply chain between the two countries in recent times. Vietnam continues to export crude oil to Australia, while importing coal, ore and other minerals as well as liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Australia at a significant proportion. The two sides agreed on the need to further maintain and strengthen a stable supply chain, particularly for coal, crude oil and LNG - important raw materials serving the energy security of each country.
At the meeting, the two sides focused on discussing key cooperation directions. In particular, the two ministers emphasized promoting investment by businesses of both countries in projects for the exploration, extraction and deep processing of minerals in Australia and Vietnam, in association with the transfer of advanced technology, environmental protection and the application of ESG standards. The two sides also agreed to strengthen support for enhancing mineral management capacity, building quality standard systems, traceability, and training human resources.
The first Viet Nam-Australia Ministerial Dialogue on Energy and Minerals. Photo: MoIT
On energy transition cooperation, the two sides agreed to boost business connectivity and promote investment projects in offshore wind power, solar power, energy storage, green hydrogen and smart grids. Minister Le Manh Hung thanked the Australian Government for supporting Vietnam through the Aus4Growth project, while also proposing to further expand cooperation on energy saving, efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction.
The two ministers also discussed strengthening business connectivity between the two countries, encouraging trade and investment promotion delegations, while closely coordinating in multilateral energy forums to help ensure energy security and support Vietnam's energy transition process.
Overview of the meeting. Photo: MoIT
The first session carries significant meaning, marking the official operation of the Ministerial Dialogue mechanism on Energy and Minerals - one of the specialized cooperation mechanisms established within the framework of the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This is the first high-level policy dialogue forum between the two ministries, creating a regular, candid channel of exchange to address practical issues in strategic mineral supply chains, attract deep-processing investment, enhance governance capacity and promote energy transition cooperation.
The successful organization of the first session of the Ministerial Dialogue on Energy and Minerals has helped create new momentum and a solid foundation for the two countries to implement specific, effective cooperation projects in the coming time, worthy of the Vietnam - Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
