Prime Minister and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres meet the press

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres took time to answer many questions from domestic and international reporters on issues related to the Hanoi Convention.

On October 25, right after the High-Level Opening Session and the Signing Ceremony of the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime ( Hanoi Convention), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres met with the press to inform about this historic event.

Speaking to the press, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed and thanked the United Nations Secretary-General and international guests for coming to Vietnam to attend the important and historic event - the signing ceremony of the Hanoi Convention.

According to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, in the current context of a decline in multilateralism, the United Nations, headed by the UN Secretary-General, has been making many efforts to consolidate and strengthen multilateralism and enhance international solidarity. The signing of the Hanoi Convention - an event held outside the UN Headquarters with more than 100 participating countries, of which more than 60 have signed, demonstrates the importance of the Convention.

The Prime Minister emphasized that cyber security is not a problem of any country or individual, but a problem of all people, comprehensively and globally. No country or individual is safe if other countries and individuals are not safe; cybercrime affects many aspects of the economy, material, spirit, culture... Therefore, it is necessary to call for and promote international solidarity, join hands to fight cybercrime, ensure information security and safety. The fact that international guests came to Vietnam this time shows that fighting cybercrime is an issue of concern to the world.

Regarding the situation in Vietnam after 80 years of Independence-Freedom-Happiness, 40 years of war, 30 years of embargo and rising to what it is today, and Vietnam's foreign policy, the Prime Minister said that Vietnam has always stood firm in the face of countless difficulties and challenges, ranking 16th in the world in cybersecurity, according to the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index assessed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at a press conference at the signing ceremony and high-level meeting of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

The Prime Minister said that choosing Vietnam to host the signing ceremony of the Convention against Cybercrime demonstrates the United Nations' trust in Vietnam. He expressed his thanks to the United Nations for giving Vietnam this honor and thanked international friends for coming to Vietnam to attend the important event.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres thanked the Government and people of Vietnam for their warm welcome and thoughtful organization of the signing ceremony of the Hanoi Convention. He said that this is a historic and meaningful moment in Vietnam - a center of innovation, digital transformation, technology development, a link in the world's electronics supply chain, with great potential for cross-border goods circulation.

The UN Secretary General emphasized that cybercrime has disrupted transactions and connections; spread harmful content; caused unpredictable consequences..., but the world has not yet had a common rule to deal with this issue. The birth of the UN Convention against Cybercrime will provide countries with new tools to prevent and combat cybercrime; control cross-border traffic and protect people; create a global network to share and fight cybercrime.

Emphasizing that the Convention is not only a legal instrument, but also a promise that every country is protected in cyberspace, and that every country must have solutions to effectively combat cybercrime, the UN Secretary-General once again thanked Vietnam for its enthusiasm and pioneering voice internationally on the issue of combating cybercrime.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres took time to answer many questions from domestic and international reporters on related issues.

Responding to a VNA reporter's question about what countries, parties and the international community need to do after the signing ceremony to implement the political commitment, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that countries and relevant parties must ratify the Convention and put in place enforcement mechanisms as soon as possible so that this declaration can take effect globally; train human resources and invest to bring the Convention into reality.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres meets the press at the signing ceremony and high-level meeting of the UN Convention against Cybercrime. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

Responding to a question from a Tuoi Tre reporter about Vietnam's role and position in the United Nations and the international community, and Vietnam's focus on being proactive, positive, and responsible in multilateral cooperation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that after 50 years of joining the United Nations, Vietnam has the opportunity to integrate internationally; has the opportunity to nationalize world civilization in the country, learn from, and apply the world's advanced achievements in Vietnam.

The Prime Minister affirmed that the United Nations has supported and contributed to the stability and development of Vietnam. Vietnam has seriously and effectively implemented the decisions of the United Nations; contributed to the common issues of the United Nations; and contributed to the building of the United Nations institutions for peace, cooperation and development in the world. The United Nations has brought Vietnam many opportunities to grow, but also posed pressures that Vietnam must overcome to develop.

The Prime Minister stated that the United Nations and the international community's support for Vietnam on this occasion also demonstrates the role, position, importance and prestige of Vietnam, as well as the affection, trust and confidence of the international community in Vietnam. The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam will strive to be worthy of this affection from international friends, especially in preventing and combating cybercrime.

AFP news agency commented that so far 65 countries have signed the Hanoi Convention, but there are also subjects such as some technology corporations concerned about the impact of the Convention on the issue of privacy. UN Secretary General António Guterres affirmed that the Hanoi Convention is the first Convention on cybercrime that has been considered in all aspects, including the issue of privacy. Therefore, the Convention will have regulations on preventing, combating, and fighting cybercrime, but also protecting, not affecting research activities, protecting human rights, and not violating human rights.

In response to Jiji Press reporter's opinion that Vietnam is the host country of the Hanoi Convention Signing Ceremony, demonstrating its role and influence in multilateral relations and in the international arena, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh once again reiterated that the United Nations organized the Convention Signing Ceremony outside its Headquarters, in Hanoi, with the presence of hundreds of representatives of countries and organizations, and more than 60 countries signed the Convention, proving that the content of the Convention has addressed the issues that people are concerned about, for security and safety in cyberspace. This also demonstrates the trust and support of the international community for Vietnam; showing that Vietnam is a proactive, positive, responsible country, participating in solving major global issues effectively./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/thu-tuong-cung-tong-thu-ky-lien-hop-quoc-antonio-guterres-gap-go-bao-chi-post1072656.vnp