Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency reporter. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — This is a pivotal moment globally in tackling cybercrime, and Việt Nam is at the forefront of that effort - something the country should be very proud of, according to Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite.

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the signing ceremony and high-level conference of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime which are taking place in the Vietnamese capital city of Hà Nội on October 25-26, Thistlethwaite affirmed that this was a crucial moment for Việt Nam and the world to work together to address the growing issue of cybersecurity, while ensuring that the people remain safe and protected.

Showing his impression of Việt Nam’s level of development over the past 20 years, especially in a city like Hà Nội, he said that this was one of the reasons why Việt Nam was chosen to host this important signing ceremony, which also demonstrated the country’s strong commitment to addressing cybersecurity issues not only in the region but also globally.

Assessing the UN Convention against Cybercrime, also known as the Hà Nội Convention, Thistlethwaite noted that for the first time, the international community has a convention dedicated specifically to the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of cyber-related crimes.

It covers both crimes committed through cyberspace (such as human trafficking or the sharing of intimate images) and crimes dependent on cyberspace (such as cyberattacks). At last, the world has reached a consensus to recognise these as criminal acts and to cooperate in building a framework for the investigation and prosecution against them.

According to the minister, cybersecurity cooperation has become a key pillar of the Australia–Việt Nam partnership. Earlier this year, Australia signed a four-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cyber and critical technology cooperation with Việt Nam, ensuring the two governments work together to share information, build skills, and collaborate at multilateral forums. The goal is to protect the two countries’ citizens, businesses, and economies from cyber threats and ensure effective prosecution of cybercrimes.

Regionally, Australia is investing AUD83.5 million to strengthen cybersecurity capacity across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, while working with key partners like Việt Nam to keep the people and economies safe.

Thistlethwaite stressed that "cybercrime knows no borders, as it threatens every nation". Australia had faced major attacks on telecoms, insurers, and even the national airline, most originating overseas. This underscored the need for global cooperation. That’s why this Hanoi Convention mattered. It reflected the world’s shared commitment to act together against cyber threats.

As Việt Nam had also faced serious incidents impacting its economy and people, Australia looked forward to working with the country to share information and strengthen collective cybersecurity, he said. — VNA/VNS