Canberra [Australia], August 24: On August 23, during her first visit to Ho Chi Minh City as Australian Foreign Minister, Ms. Penny Wong participated in an exchange with students of the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong 's talk focused on bilateral relations, climate change , sustainable development and education. This is also an opportunity for students, who represent the next generation of Vietnam, to listen to the expectations and vision of the head of the Australian diplomatic mission about the future between the two countries.
Australia attaches special importance to Vietnam
"I can tell you how Australia views Vietnam. We consider Vietnam a very important partner in the region. And we value Vietnam as a partner, as a person. you from a bilateral perspective," said Ms. Wong.
Australia's foreign minister mentioned a number of challenges that both countries are facing in complex times, from strategic competition, climate change to sustainable development.
"The world is reshaping, and much of the new change and reshaping is happening in the region we live and share," the diplomat said of the ongoing reality.
According to her, like many other countries, Vietnam and Australia share a common vision of the shape of the region that both countries want to aim for. It is a vision of respecting sovereignty, building a region of peace, stability and prosperity, where each country still retains the ability to make appropriate decisions for each country.
"My visit is a clear statement of the priorities of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government and an opportunity to further develop cooperation between our two countries to shape the region we want," said Ms Wong. spoke in the announcement published by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs prior to the visit to Vietnam.
After establishing diplomatic relations in 1973, Vietnam and Australia switched to a comprehensive partnership in 2009 and progressed to a strategic partnership since 2018.
The Australian Foreign Minister highly appreciated the bilateral economic relationship and in the ongoing economic development in Vietnam. And according to her, upgrading the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia is a joint statement by both governments about their common vision, common goals, common interests, and the desire to ensure that the two countries establish a mechanism that allows both sides to work together to accomplish common goals.
Climate change and huge opportunity
During the conversation, the Australian Foreign Minister spent a lot of time on the issue of climate change. She served as Australia's Climate Change Minister from 2007-2010, and led the Australian delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (Denmark) in December 2009.
And she was forced to admit that in the last nine years, the world has seemed rather "sluggish" on the issue of cutting emissions.
According to Ms. Wong, climate change represents the economic transformation of the present and the next generation. And the scale of that shift is truly enormous.
The challenge from climate change focuses not only on what people are doing right now, but also has far-reaching implications for the future.
"Our two countries are both committed to reaching their net emissions target by 2050. For Vietnam and Australia, it's a huge transition, an economic transformation," she said.
The Australian Foreign Minister gave a specific example of the Australian energy market. In 2000, renewable energy accounted for only 10% of the market and increased to 35% in 2020. By 2030, Australia is committed to boosting the share of renewable energy beyond the 80% threshold.
For its part, Vietnam also faces a similar situation and needs to be done across the economy and in all areas. Unlike Australia, what Vietnam is facing is a "double challenge": both converting energy to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by 2050, while ensuring economic development.
In the context of the world moving towards reducing emissions and many countries applying green energy transition policies, with clear regulations related to the production process. If the green transition fails, countries will lose trade and investment opportunities.
In addition, Ms. Wong also noted the impact of climate change on food security, economic security and national security.
The Australian Foreign Minister also emphasized the importance of education in the relationship between the two countries, and is an area that Vietnam and Australia commit to continue building in the future.
"Investing in people is sustainable development," she affirmed, and expressed optimism about Vietnam's young generation. At the same time, she believes that realizing gender equality is part of the development process, allowing countries to reap stronger outcomes in economic development agendas.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper