The issuance and circulation of items printed with the former South Vietnamese flag are inappropriate for Vietnam-Australia relations, said Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang.

Screenshot of the items sold on electronic trading platforms. Photo: tuoitre.vn

Hang told the press on May 4 that the circulation of such items on the market is “totally unsuitable to the sound development trend of the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership.”

Vietnam is totally opposed to Australian companies issuing and marketing items with "yellow flags" that stand in for the defunct government of South Vietnam, she said.

"Vietnamese authorities have discussed the issue with the Australian side and expect them to take necessary measures to ban the items from trade and circulation and prevent similar cases in the future," Hang said.

In recent days, the image of the Australian two-dollar coin has appeared on social media to commemorate the day the Australian Government withdrew its troops from Vietnam.

The coin is designed with a helicopter and some colors, including red and yellow, symbolizing the South Vietnam regime.

The coin is produced by Royal Australia Mint and Australia Post and divided into normal and gold-coated collections. The normal collection is sold for A$15 (US$10) apiece, while the golden-coated version is sold for A$80 (US$53.4).