Australian foreign minister enjoys chicken noodle soup in Hanoi

By Vu Anh June 27, 2022 | 04:00 am PT

Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong (L) enjoys chicken noodle soup at a restaurant in Hanoi, June 2022. Photo courtesy of the Australian Embassy in Hanoi

Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong tried 'pho ga' (chicken noodle soup) at a restaurant in Hanoi during her first visit to Vietnam since she took office.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie shared her favorite pho ga with Foreign Minister Wong and chef Sam Tran during the minister’s visit to Vietnam, the Australian Embassy in Hanoi wrote in a Facebook post Monday.

"The Foreign Minister heard from Sam on the history and significance of pho and how to eat pho in the traditional Hanoian style, and the three shared views on Australia and Vietnam's strong people-to-people links."

Pho, an iconic dish of Vietnam, is a bowl of flat, soft rice noodles dipped in a fragrant beef or chicken broth flavored with different condiments. It is served with beef or chicken, shallots and chili and lemon to taste.

Wong was Australia's first Minister for Climate Change in 2007-10 and Minister for Finance in 2010-13.

She became foreign minister last month.

Vietnam and Australia established diplomatic relations in 1973 and became strategic partners in 2018.