Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his visiting Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on June 4 witnessed the exchange of a number of cooperation agreements between the two countries.

The agreements include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on cooperation in science, technology and innovation, which is expected to help bolster bilateral cooperation in the fields, and contributing to facilitating socio-economic development in both countries.

According to MoST Deputy Minister Bui The Duy, the MoU aims to create favourable conditions for the two sides to share information on science-technology and innovation activities, defining the common interest in strengthening the partnership, including activities of the Vietnam – Australia partnership programme on innovation (Aus4Innovation).

Vietnam has become one of the 17 prioritised countries in Australia’s innovation strategy. The Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy has brought about opportunities for the two sides to strengthen cooperation in science-technology and innovation. Knowledge and innovation has been one of the key pillars of the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership.

In Vietnam, a National Strategy for Science-Technology and Innovation Development until 2030 has been issued, highlighting that promoting science, technology and innovation is the leading national policy playing the role as the main motivation for growth.

The Aus4Innovation was announced during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in 2017, aiming to help Vietnam develop a national innovation system, assisting the country in preparing for and seizing the opportunities from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and shaping the country’s innovation process in the field of science and technology.

The programme is funded by the DFAT and co-sponsored by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and implemented with the cooperation from MoST.

Duy expressed his hope that the MoU will produce new successes in cooperation between Vietnam and Australia in the field./.