Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The partnership betweenVietnam and Australia is grounded on friendship and strategic trust,visiting Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong affirmed on August22.
The minister told the press in Hanoi that the twocountries want to maintain their practical cooperation and are working togetherto elevate the relationship to a comprehensive strategy partnership.
Wong stressed that the two countries share the wishfor a peaceful, stable and prosperous region in which sovereignty is respected,and share the commitment to ASEAN centrality.
As part of ASEAN, Vietnam is very important toAustralia, especially in terms of economy, she said, noting that Australiarecognises Vietnam’s “thriving economy” and wants to expand the bilateral tradeand investment ties.
“And we want to work together on the big challengesof our time, which include climate change,” the official added, informing that sheannounced Australia’s new 94.5 million AUD support package for climate changeadaption in the Mekong Delta from 2023 to 2034 at a forum which took placeearlier the same day.
Vietnam and Australia share the commitment to netzero emissions and are working together to drive the transition to clean energy,she further explained.
Education is another important cooperation areabetween the two countries, and “Australia can offer education and capacitybuilding to Vietnamese people and officials,” she continued.
On August 22 morning, the minister took a strollaround the iconic Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake in the very heart of Hanoi and enjoyedan egg coffee, a signature drink of the capital city.
This is Wong’s second visit to Vietnam in hercapacity as foreign minister of Australia, following her first in June 2022when she tried “pho ga” (chicken noodle soup), an iconic dish of Vietnam.
At the press conference, the minster highlightedthat Vietnam boasts “excellent food” and “great history”, with hospitablepeople who said “hello”, smiled and waved to her even they don’t know who sheis during the morning walk.
The friendship between people is important and it ison top of the economic ties, she stressed./.
