MELBOURNE, Australia: The heads of the Australian and Vietnamese governments on Thursday discussed ways of improving their countries' already booming economic relationship as part of Canberra's strategy to diversify trade away from China.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official state visit to the island continent came after he attended in the southeastern city of Melbourne the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-Australian Special Summit this week, co-led by his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and Laotian premier Sonexay Siphandone.