HÀ NỘI — Visiting Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong on Tuesday announced her country’s new US$94.5 million support package for climate change adaption in Việt Nam's Mekong Delta from 2023 to 2034.

“This is an example of how Australia and Việt Nam are tackling the shared challenge of climate change and energy transition together,” the minister said at the Việt Nam-Australia Forum: Regional Cooperation in a Changing World held in Hà Nội.

Highlighting the close relations between Việt Nam and Australia over the past 50 years, Wong said they had stood side by side as friends on the basis of strategic belief.

The two countries had been deeply conscious of the continuous consolidation of the bilateral strategic partnership, towards a comprehensive strategic partnership, she added.

Both countries desired peace in the region and the world, she continued, noting that Australia wants to cooperate with Việt Nam to settle challenges that need joint efforts like climate change and energy transition.

The minister also commended the operation of the Việt Nam-Australia Centre, a centrepiece of Australia’s development partnership with Việt Nam. The centre brings together Australian and Vietnamese experts to support Việt Nam's future leadership in addressing national, regional and international challenges.

In his remarks, Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Xuân Thắng, Chairman of the Central Theory Council, noted that the deep political trust and increased exchanges had helped shorten the geographical distance between the two countries, making the Việt Nam-Australia relationship truly become that of regional neighbours, which is closer and stronger than ever.

The forum offered an opportunity for participants to seek solutions to regional cooperation issues, and discuss how to maintain, expand, and enhance the bilateral relationship in the time ahead, he said.

The forum gathered more than 600 policymakers, leaders and representatives from ministries and agencies in different fields. — VNS