Thayer Consultancy Background Brief:

ABN # 65 648 097 123

Australia’s Governor General to
Visit Vietnam
April 4, 2023

We request your assistance to evaluate the implications of the visit paid to Vietnam
by Australia’s Governor-General David Hurley.
ANSWER: Australia and Vietnam currently are celebrating the 50th anniversary of
diplomatic relations. This milestone will be marked by many official events including
the exchange of high-level visits.
Under Australia’s Constitution the Governor General is the head of state. The
Governor General is appointed by the Monarch (King or Queen of Australia) on the
recommendation of the Prime Minister for a term of five years. The Prime Minister is
the head of government.
[Under Australia’s Constitution the Monarch of the United Kingdom and Northern
Ireland is separately the Monarch of Australia. The late Queen Elizabeth was
separately the Queen of Australia. King Charles is now the King of Australia]
It is noteworthy that Governor General David Hurley is the first official visitor to be
received by Vietnam’s new President, Vo Van Thuong. President Thuong will pay a
reciprocal visit to Australia later in the year.
Governor General Hurley will be received by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and attend a number of events in Hanoi and Ho
Chi Minh City to promote bilateral relations and people-to-people ties.
Governor General Hurley’s visit likely will be followed by exchange visits of the two
prime ministers and other senior officials. It is expected that Australia and Vietnam
will agree to raise bilateral relation from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive
strategic partnership later in the year.

Suggested citation: Carlyle A. Thayer, “Australia’s Governor General to Visit Vietnam,”

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Thayer Consultancy provides political analysis of current regional security issues and
other research support to selected clients. Thayer Consultancy was officially
registered as a small business in Australia in 2002.