(Dan Tri) - Upgrading the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will create opportunities for Vietnam and Australia to cooperate in new areas and promote effectiveness in traditional areas, according to Ambassador Andrew Goledzinowski.
Vietnam and Australia have just officially upgraded their relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership - the highest level of diplomatic relations. How do you assess the significance of this milestone? - The upgrading of the relationship between the two countries to Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Australia is a historic achievement, just like the visit took place at a historic moment. The relationship between the two countries has just been upgraded, but it took 50 years for Vietnam and Australia to work together to achieve practical results. 
Australian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski (Photo: Hoai Thu).
During that time, we have built up understanding and trust between our two countries. I believe this will continue to be strengthened and developed in the future. The upgrade of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will create opportunities for Vietnam and Australia to cooperate in new areas and promote effective cooperation in traditional areas. Therefore, this milestone is not only symbolic but also has real significance and will have a substantial impact on the relationship between the two countries.
The "6 more things" when the two countries upgrade their relations have been outlined by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh many times in exchanges during his official visit to Australia. According to him, how have these priority areas been, are being, and will be implemented? - The first pillar that needs attention in cooperation between the two countries is political and security cooperation. Recently, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries' Defense Ministries on peacekeeping cooperation. 
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hold talks after the official welcoming ceremony (Photo: Doan Bac).
The fourth pillar is energy cooperation and climate change response. In 2023, during the visit of Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Vietnam, Australia also announced an additional 95 million AUD to enhance climate adaptation in the Mekong region. We are also investing more than 100 million USD in the green energy transition. In addition, a number of Australian companies are very interested in building offshore wind power projects in Vietnam. The fifth area is cooperation in science and technology. This was also promoted when, during an official visit to Australia, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Australia's scientific agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), which is famous for inventing Wi-Fi. An agreement between the two sides was also signed under which Australia will cooperate from shrimp farming, aquaculture to satellite remote sensing to help Vietnamese farmers manage crops.
Vietnam and Australia agreed to upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership (Photo: Doan Bac).
And the sixth pillar is regional and international cooperation. Vietnam and Australia have similar interests in ensuring that there is no threat or use of force in the region. Both countries have strong commitments to international law. Vietnam and Australia want to work together to maintain ASEAN centrality and respect sovereignty in the region. So there will be a lot of work to be done in that area.
At the Vietnam-Australia Education Cooperation Forum, Vietnam asked Australia to support the training of high-quality engineers for the high-tech economy. So what can Australia do to support this plan? - This is a very high-quality forum with the participation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The head of the Vietnamese Government identified human resource development as one of Vietnam's important goals. Meanwhile, Australia has some of the best universities in the world. So I think there are three ways for Australia and Vietnam to cooperate. First, Australia can continue to receive Vietnamese students. Currently, there are more than 32,000 Vietnamese students studying in Australia. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also asked Australia to provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students to create more opportunities. 
Overview of the Vietnam - Australia Education and Training Cooperation Forum (Photo: Doan Bac).
Second, to promote cooperation between universities between the two countries, perhaps even awarding Australian degrees in Vietnam through Vietnamese institutions. And third, as suggested by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, other Australian universities will come and open branches in Vietnam. I also think about the goal of creating great opportunities for Australian universities to come and open facilities and share their capabilities in educating the next generation of Vietnamese students.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the Forum (Photo: Doan Bac).
Vietnamese and Australian educational institutions exchanged a memorandum of understanding on cooperation witnessed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (Photo: Doan Bac).
High-tech investment cooperation in agriculture is the direction that Australia and Vietnam are aiming for. How do you think this will be implemented after the two countries upgrade their relations?
- There are many areas to focus on, first of all agriculture. Vietnam and Australia are both agricultural countries but the two sides have different types of agriculture.
In Australia, we do large-scale farming on vast areas, controlled by satellites. Satellites are controlling the movement of huge vehicles over these farming areas to harvest crops.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Photo: Doan Bac).
Vietnam is unlikely to do that, but Australia's science agency is working with Vietnamese farmers to find a way for them to use satellites to monitor soil moisture levels, which would help them know when to increase or decrease irrigation.
In this way, just sitting at home, farmers can do many jobs on the farming area.
Australia also has an agricultural research agency, they have been in Vietnam for more than 30 years and invested more than 160 million USD. Their analysis shows that for every USD they invest, 90 USD is created, so the application of high technology in agriculture will have a very strong impact.
Therefore, the Australian agricultural research agency will continue to work in Vietnam to try to bring the best technological advantages to local farmers.
Thank you!
03/10/2024 - 07:00
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