Prime Minister promotes cooperation with Australia's world-leading science and technology organization

(Chinhphu.vn) - On the morning of March 8, in the capital Canberra, continuing his official visit to Australia, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited and worked at the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) - one of the largest multidisciplinary science and technology organizations in the world.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Also attending were members of the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation, Australian Foreign Minister Tim Watts. The Prime Minister and delegates listened to CSIRO Director General Doug Hilton report on cooperation activities with Vietnam; visited the exhibition introducing the results of cooperation between CSIRO and Vietnam; and witnessed Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat and CSIRO Director General signing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two agencies.

Prime Minister visits exhibition introducing cooperation results between CSIRO and Vietnam - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

CSIRO is the Australian Government's science and technology agency, established in 1916. The CSIRO Board is responsible to the Government for the overall strategy and performance of CSIRO, and consists of up to ten members, appointed by the Governor-General of Australia for a five-year term. The Board appoints the Chief Executive to lead and manage operations. CSIRO is now one of the world's largest multidisciplinary science and technology organisations, with 5,500 staff and 57 facilities across Australia and representative offices in the United States, Chile, France, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam; contributing approximately A$4.5 billion to the Australian economy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his impression of CSIRO's achievements and results and thanked CSIRO for cooperating with Vietnam in many fields since the 1980s when Vietnam was facing many difficulties - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

CSIRO has had many successes in commercializing research results, currently there are over 170 start-ups from CSIRO's scientific and technological achievements, the capitalization value of companies invested by CSIRO has reached over 1 billion Australian dollars. CSIRO has had a close cooperative relationship with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam for many years, through research cooperation activities in Vietnam. CSIRO is the management agency of the Innovation Partnership Program (Aus4Innovation-A4I) funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for Vietnam with a total budget of 33.5 million Australian dollars, implemented over a period of 10 years (2018-2028).

CSIRO Director General Doug Hilton said the agency is pleased to cooperate with Vietnam on science and technology such as the shrimp industry program in the Mekong Delta - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Australian Government's commitment to Vietnam

CSIRO Director General Doug Hilton said the agency is pleased to cooperate with Vietnam in science and technology such as the shrimp industry program in the Mekong Delta, the program to end plastic waste, satellite observation technology, and medical research program for cancer treatment.

Australian Foreign Minister Tim Watts speaks - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Australian Foreign Minister Tim Watts said that cooperation in science, technology and innovation is a pillar in the bilateral relationship and the Australian Government is committed to strengthening connectivity and cooperation in this field with Vietnam. Recently, Australia announced an initiative to establish a 2 billion USD investment fund in Southeast Asia and cooperation programs are supporting Vietnam to promote innovation in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat speaks - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat assessed that the Aus4Innovation Program has contributed to helping Vietnam's important sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing gradually modernize on the basis of commercializing research results; capturing economic benefits while still ensuring employment opportunities for Vietnam's workforce in the future, especially in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. According to the Minister, the two sides have agreed to implement phase 2 of this project, along with the signing and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Science and Technology and CSIRO, which will contribute significantly to promoting 1 of the "6 more points" that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized when announcing the two countries to upgrade their relationship to the highest level, which is "promoting stronger cooperation in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transformation". The Minister said that Vietnam considers innovation and scientific and technological development as the driving force for socio-economic development, so it is focusing on new areas such as information technology, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, energy transition, green transition, especially focusing on research in semiconductor chip manufacturing, hydrogen... Vietnam also prioritizes investment in the agricultural sector because it considers it the pillar of the economy.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan hopes that CSIRO will continue to cooperate and support Vietnam in standardizing agricultural products, especially rice, tra fish, shrimp, etc. - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that CSIRO has effectively cooperated with Vietnam on a number of agricultural products such as fruits, potatoes, etc.; he hopes that CSIRO will continue to cooperate and support Vietnam in standardizing agricultural products, especially rice, pangasius, shrimp, etc., areas in which Vietnam is among the world's leading groups, following the trend of low emissions and green transformation.

According to the Prime Minister, CSIRO's orientations in focusing on digital transformation, green transformation, climate change response, innovation, agriculture, etc. are all consistent with Vietnam's development policies - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Specific, practical, focused, key cooperation Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his impression of CSIRO's achievements and results and thanked CSIRO for cooperating with Vietnam in many fields since the 1980s when Vietnam was still facing many difficulties, contributing to concretizing the content of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. According to the Prime Minister, to achieve recent development achievements, Vietnam has received valuable assistance from international friends, including Australia. He said he clearly felt the affection of the Australian people for Vietnam, especially Australian scientists who are very sincere, trustworthy, and demonstrate a high sense of responsibility towards each other. "This is expressed from the heart, not just words," said the Prime Minister. The Australian Ambassador to Vietnam also understands and always has affection for Vietnam.

The Prime Minister witnessed Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat and CSIRO Director General signing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two agencies - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The Prime Minister said that the current world context and situation is generally peaceful, but there are still wars in some areas; generally peaceful, but there are still tensions in some areas; generally stable, but there are still conflicts in some areas. With global and national issues such as global climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, resource depletion, population aging, etc., countries must promote international solidarity, uphold multilateralism, and take people as the center and subject. The Prime Minister emphasized that Australia and Vietnam cooperate in researching the above issues not only for the two countries but also contribute to solving global and national issues. The two countries have established diplomatic relations at the highest level - the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and the Prime Minister stated that one of the "6 more points" of the new relationship framework is to promote stronger cooperation in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transformation. According to the Prime Minister, CSIRO's orientations in focusing on digital transformation, green transformation, climate change response, science and technology, innovation, agriculture, etc. are all in line with Vietnam's development policies. The Prime Minister affirmed that cooperation in science and technology, innovation, climate change response, digital transformation, and green transformation is limitless; the issue is how to cooperate. The Prime Minister suggested that the two sides develop specific projects from Australia's $2 billion investment fund for Southeast Asia; he hoped that cooperation with CSIRO would continue to promote the very good results of recent years, implement practical cooperation programs and projects, focus on key areas, prepare carefully, and bring about specific products and results. According to the Prime Minister, in the process of cooperation, exchange and association, besides advantages, there are inevitably difficulties and obstacles. The important thing is that both sides work together to solve them, make efforts to achieve more successes than failures, and more advantages than difficulties and obstacles. Localities, ministries and branches will develop programs and projects to invite CSIRO to cooperate and the Vietnamese Government will have mechanisms, policies, directions and operations to facilitate the implementation of programs and projects.

Ha Van - Chinhphu.vn

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