JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you referenced Singapore Prime Minister Lee's recent speech in China. Singapore's Defence Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen was in Australia recently. And there he mentioned some very positive things about Australia's potential to play a bigger role in the region and welcomed Australia's future submarines to call into Singapore's ports. But he also said something surprising, at least I found it surprising, that he said that Australia was not just an Indo-Pacific country, but an Asian country.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I’m delighted to be here with you in Hanoi to celebrate the continuing growth of RMIT Vietnam and to celebrate the education links that are such a central part of the Australia-Vietnam relationship.

I am pleased to be joined by Professor Alec Cameron, RMIT Vice-Chancellor, who has travelled from Australia to join his team on this occasion. And I’m especially pleased to be joined by Professor Claire Macken, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of RMIT Vietnam, who is the face of RMIT in this country.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: I'm very pleased to be here on my first official visit to Vietnam as Australia's Prime Minister, to mark the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relationship. We are strategic partners and we've been enduring friends over that 50 years. And nothing embodies that more than this very structure here, a structure that beneath it is about people. The provision of education services from the RMIT in Vietnam has been in place now for more than two decades. I came to RMIT here in Hanoi in 2007 on my last visit. It was in a different place then.

It’s great to be here in Hanoi, and what a day it’s been a visit to RMIT campus to launch their new Hanoi Industry and Innovation Hub, a pit-stop for beers and banh mi – to showcase Australian barley and wheat, and now here to highlight the incredible work of the business community.

I’m proud to visit Vietnam during our 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

It was the foresight of one of my predecessors – Gough Whitlam – that started us on this journey.

Fifty years on, that foresight has translated into a relationship underpinned by respect and trust.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Thank you very much Prime Minister, and thank you for the very warm welcome that you have given us here in Vietnam. Thank you, as well, to your entire people for the warm welcome that we had yesterday on our arrival.

PHAM MINH CHINH, PRIME MINISTER OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM: The Honourable Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, distinguished delegates, once again, I'd like to extend my warmest welcome to you, Mr Prime Minister, on your first official visit to Vietnam. This visit bears great importance, for it coincides with the year of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries, 1973-2023. And the fifth anniversary of our strategic partnership, 2018-2023.

FIFI BOX, HOST: Right now, this is very exciting. There has been one man that believed in us when we first came up with the idea to do this marathon. It is our very own Prime Minister and he's joining us now, Anthony Albanese.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Fifi. I backed you in you in, and what good judgement that was. That was beautiful singing, I love Barbara Streisand.

BOX: Oh, you heard me? How embarrassing.

PRIME MINISTER: It was awesome.

I am pleased to invite visitors to the Kirribilli House Open Day on Saturday 3 June.

While Kirribilli House is the Prime Minister’s official residence in Sydney, the Australian people are its true custodians.

Along with Admiralty House, Kirribilli House grounds and gardens will be open to the public from 10:00am – 2:00pm.

Since 1957, Kirribilli House has been a Commonwealth property for special occasions and official purposes, including as an official residence. Countless international dignitaries have visited for bilateral talks and official events.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met today with Acting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai in Singapore for the 8th Australia-Singapore Annual Leaders’ Meeting.

Australia and Singapore are close friends and long-term strategic and economic partners, with an enduring relationship that has evolved to meet the shared opportunities and challenges facing our region.

LAWRENCE WONG, ACTING PRIME MINISTER OF SINGAPORE: I want to start by welcoming Prime Minister Albanese and his delegation to Singapore. This is the Prime Minister's first official visit to Singapore so we are delighted that you are here. I want to convey greetings from Prime Minister Lee who unfortunately couldn’t be here because of a COVID rebound. He had been looking forward to meeting all of you again since the last meeting in Canberra in October.