Australia wants to boost cooperation with Vietnam in key areas
VOV.VN - Australia wishes to increase cooperation with Vietnam in areas that are Australia’s strengths, Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said ahead of her departure to Vietnam for an August 21-24 working visit.
In addition to security, defense and economy, issues relating to the environment, climate change adaptation, education, digital transformation, and energy transition will be the centerpiece of cooperation between the two countries in the coming time, Wong said in a short interview granted to a Canberra based VOV correspondent.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh told the VOV correspondent that Australia gives high priority to cooperation projects with Vietnam in the field of science and technology. In particular, Australia has extended the Aus4Innovation program to 10 years with a budget of AUD33.5 million, focusing on emerging technology, digital transformation, clean energy, high-tech agriculture and sustainable food.
Boasting leading-edge technologies for new and renewable energy, Australia aims to become a renewable energy power with 82% of its electricity generation coming from renewable energy sources by 2030. It is committed to helping Vietnam in this field through the AUD105 million energy transition deal signed during Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Hanoi in June 2023.
With regard to climate change response, Australia has been a leading partner for Vietnam in this field for many years through programs within the framework of Aus4Skill. It has organized various training courses on carbon market development and support policies for Vietnamese financial staff.
Australia is expected to soon announce the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy till 2040 in which it is anticipated to attach great importance to strengthening cooperation with Vietnam, especially in key areas such as climate change response and energy transition, said Ambassador Thanh.
Minister Penny Wong arrived in Hanoi on August 21 for a three-day working visit to Vietnam at the invitation of her Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son.
The two ministers will co-chair the fifth Vietnam – Australia Foreign Ministers Meeting to review the implementation of the outcome of the recent high-level visits, especially in the fields of economy, trade, investment, security-defense, education-training, labour, and agriculture, and outline orientations for cooperation in new fields such as digital transformation, digital economy and energy transformation.
Vietnam and Australia established strategic partnership on February 26, 1973, and the two countries are celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic ties this year.
