During the meeting, Simon Bridges mentioned that New Zealand businesses have been impressed by Vietnam’s remarkable development over the past 20 years. They have seen many opportunities to invest and do business in Vietnam, and there have been many successful projects in Vietnam.
Recognizing the favorable investment environment and potential in Vietnam, New Zealand businesses have actively worked with Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and enterprises. They hope that the government will continue to create favorable conditions and promote investment and business in Vietnam, especially in areas such as renewable energy, real estate, aviation, and fruit and vegetable exports.
Prime Minister welcomes Simon Bridges, Chairman of the Auckland Business Council, and the leaders of several prominent New Zealand enterprises (Photo: VGP)
After the ministers exchanged and answered the proposals from the New Zealand business leaders, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed the businesses that have been and are planning to invest in Vietnam. He stated that Vietnam is committed to creating favorable conditions and protecting the rights, legitimate interests of investors, and ensuring efficient and sustainable investment and business activities in Vietnam.
According to the Prime Minister, after nearly 50 years, the Vietnam-New Zealand relationship is developing very positively in all areas and aims to elevate the relationship to new heights. Both countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA).
“This is an important foundation for businesses of both countries to promote investment cooperation,” the Prime Minister emphasized.
The areas that New Zealand businesses are interested in for investment and cooperation in Vietnam are also priority and potential sectors for development in Vietnam. The Prime Minister suggested that New Zealand businesses continue working with Vietnamese ministries and sectors to implement specific projects.
Simon Bridges, Chairman of the Auckland Business Council (Photo: VGP)
In particular, Vietnam is undergoing an energy transition and has great potential in developing wind and solar energy. There is a demand for the development of many urban areas and industrial zones, as well as importing certain agricultural and aquatic products from New Zealand and exporting fruits and agricultural products that New Zealand needs.
Regarding aviation, the Prime Minister stated that Vietnam used to have direct flights to New Zealand, but they were disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as the economy and society recover, with 11,000 Vietnamese people doing business, living, and studying in New Zealand, and Vietnamese people having a great interest in tourism in New Zealand, there will be agreements to improve visa policies. The demand for travel and transportation of goods between the two countries will increase, and there will be a great opportunity to open direct flights.
Affirming that there is still a large room for investment and business cooperation between Vietnam and New Zealand, the Prime Minister believes that there must be high determination, great efforts, and specific solutions to promote development cooperation in the new period. In the short term, the focus is on overcoming supply chain disruptions and bringing bilateral trade turnover to 2 billion USD.
