Communist Review - On May 31, 2021, at the high-level meeting of the virtual Summit for Partnership for Green Growth and Global Goals (P4G) 2030, Politburo Member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has delivered an important speech. We are honored to present the full remarks.

Your Excellency Mr. Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea,

Distinguished leaders,

Lady and gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Korean Government and HE. President Moon Jae-in for hosting the Summit with this very meaningful topic. On behalf of the Vietnam Government and with my personal affection, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to excellencies leaders and distinguished delegates!

Lady and gentlemen,

The world is suffering from synergistic effects of unprecedented three disasters: the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the depletion of natural resources, in addition to aging population in many countries, causing a profound and multifaceted impact not only today but also for future generations.

However, the pandemic itself and challenges also make us more aware of the importance of protecting the living environment and ensuring harmony between humans and nature. They are also a motivation to push us forward, asserting that we become more mature. More than ever, we need to join hands to harmonize the urgent need for economic recovery with the greener and more sustainable development in the post-COVID-19 period. This constitutes both a goal and an urgent requirement for the development of all countries. On that basic, I wish to share with you some following suggestions:

Firstly, green recovery, green economy, circular economy need to be implemented drastically at the national, regional as well as at global levels, in which the common framework is the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and the Paris Agreement on climate change. The motto is to transform thinking, methodology and practical approach from being passive in response to challenges to harmonizing reasonably and effectively the response to the transformation of green economy development, so that there is no inversion causing a “shock” effect.

Secondly, to support the green transition, it is needed to design an appropriate roadmap based on diverse conditions and capacities of countries. Developed countries should continue to lead the way in implementing their emissions reduction commitments, while providing financial, technological and institutional support to developing countries and those heavily affected by climate change.

Thirdly, a due consideration should be given to building institutions to encourage involvement and increase participation among all actors in society, especially businesses and people, to further promote public-private partnership (PPP) in green growth, forming new value chains and industries through greening industrial-agricultural production and services.

Fourthly, it is necessary to improve adaptability skills of areas heavily affected by climate change, including the Mekong Sub-region and the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam. These serious challenges they are facing need a close cooperation and responsibility of the international community, especially in the sustainable management and use of transboundary water resources, contributing to ensuring regional and global food and water security.

Fifthly, in order to restore growth, the most urgent issue for the moment is to prevent, repel and fundamentally handle the COVID-19 pandemic. Every single country's effort is the most important contributor, but an effective international cooperation is indispensable, such as sharing in spiritual and material loss, supporting technology, finance, healthcare, especially vaccines, facilitating investment, international trade, travel, and transportation of people and goods between countries so as not to disrupt global supply chains.

Sixthly, in the current context, countries have to uphold the spirit of solidarity, responsibility, mutual respect for the common interests of all mankind, ensure the international environment, and promote peace and stability, cooperation and development conducive to economic recovery and international cooperation.

Lady and gentlemen,

For Vietnam, despite numerous obstacles and challenges, we are determined to realize the “dual goal” consisting of successful epidemic prevention and control and rapid and sustainable socio-economic recovery and to harmonize reasonably and effectively the economic growth with cultural, social development, environmental protection and climate change adaptation on the following basis: (1) we are aimed at innovating the growth model growth, restructuring economy, developing a green economy, market demands, emerging industries and increasing labor productivity. (2) People become a core-focus, the subject. They are both the resource and the most important driving force and the highest goal of development, including green development. (3) We firmly do not accept the model of “grow first, clean up later”. We do not pursue grow at all cost policy which is not sustainable and destroys the progress, social justice and living environment of the people.

In the process of implementing the development goals, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for the support of international partners, including Korea over the past few years. In the coming time, we look forward to a more effective support and cooperation from countries, international organizations and businesses, especially in high quality strategic infrastructure development projects, green economy, digital economy, circular economy, economy of climate change adaptation, smart city development... to support Vietnam's sustainable development goals.

As a member of all major international agreements on environment and climate change, one of the founding members of the P4G Summit, Vietnam is willing to make an active, responsible contribution to the joint efforts of international community to realize green recovery and sustainable development goals. With that in mind, we wholeheartedly support and highly appreciate the Seoul Declaration   made by the Korean Government at this Summit.

Lady and gentlemen,

I am convinced that, with the results achieved by the Climate Change Summit taking place on April 22, 2021 and the COP26 this November, this P4G Summit will establish a historic marker about unity of awareness, shared responsibility and determination to act, joint efforts to promote international cooperation to overcome all challenges, effectively respond to climate change and realize global green growth goals.

Thank you for your listening and may our Summit be a resounding success!

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* Title given by the Online Communist Review

The Communist Review, online version ( June 1, 2021)