During a press conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that he had a very special and successful discussion with his New Zealand counterpart. Both sides are pleased to see that the Vietnam – New Zealand Strategic Partnership is developing well and effectively.
A SPECIAL MEETING
In the spirit of building and cooperation, both sides had comprehensive discussions on cooperation in various areas and set directions to further strengthen and deepen the Vietnam – New Zealand Strategic Partnership. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh summarized the discussion with three keywords: “stability and consolidation,” “enhancement and expansion,” and “acceleration and breakthrough” as follows:
First, stability and consolidation of political trust, strategic trust, political cooperation, diplomacy, and the establishment of a solid foundation for bilateral relations. Both sides will enhance delegations and high-level contacts, effectively implement cooperation mechanisms, including regular exchanges between the two Prime Ministers and Ministers. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh invited and hoped to welcome Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his spouse to Vietnam for an official visit.
Second, strengthening and expanding cooperation in all important pillars of the Vietnam – New Zealand Strategic Partnership, including economic, trade, and investment cooperation, national security and defense, agriculture, culture and people-to-people exchanges, and local connectivity.
Specifically, enhancing economic, trade, and investment cooperation, striving to achieve a bilateral trade turnover of USD 2 billion by 2024 and early doubling two-way investment through appropriate measures, including market opening and reducing trade barriers. Vietnam welcomes investment from New Zealand in various sectors, especially education and renewable energy, expanding markets for each other’s products, especially agricultural products such as lychee, dragon fruit, bananas, cut flowers, high-tech and high-quality agriculture, plant breeding, and food safety management.
In addition, enhancing defense and security cooperation, effectively coping with traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region, including transnational crime, terrorism, natural disasters, epidemics, enhancing cooperation in peacekeeping, maritime security, intelligence exchange, for peace, cooperation, development in the region and the world.
Expanding cultural and education cooperation, promoting people-to-people exchanges in appropriate forms. Vietnam expects New Zealand to increase scholarships for Vietnamese students and New Zealand universities to strengthen links with Vietnamese universities, while facilitating New Zealand citizens and businesses to work, study, and do business in Vietnam. The early resumption of direct flights will be an important driver for expanding cooperation in these areas.
Thirdly, Prime Minister emphasized three areas that need acceleration and breakthrough:
Accelerating breakthroughs in cooperation in science and technology, innovation, start-ups, green economy, digital economy, circular economy, sharing economy, knowledge-based economy, environmentally friendly technology transfer, emission reduction, agricultural development, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor chips…
Accelerating breakthroughs in economic marine cooperation, marine environmental protection, especially in sharing experiences, policy development, technology transfer.
Accelerating breakthroughs in labor cooperation, vocational training, creating conditions for Vietnamese labor to work in New Zealand; creating a legal framework and appropriate mechanisms and policies to promote and manage this field effectively.
“We emphasize the need to establish a joint working mechanism to promote cooperation in the above-mentioned important areas with the spirit of doing what we say, committing to implementation, doing what has been done, and achieving results and benefits for the two peoples, two countries,” emphasized the head of the Vietnam Government.
Both sides also discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern; agreed to closely coordinate and support each other, especially at the United Nations and multilateral international forums led by ASEAN, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM); enhance dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly address common challenges in the region; coordinate to promote cooperation in the Mekong Sub-region; and especially collaborate with other countries to solve global issues, such as war, epidemics, and climate change, with an international solidarity spirit, uphold multilateralism, put people at the center, and not leave anyone behind.
Regarding the South China Sea issue, both sides reiterated the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, not using force or threatening to use force, resolving disputes through peaceful means based on respect for international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982; agreeing to exchange and share information and enhance maritime cooperation, and striving to turn the South China Sea into a region of peace, stability, friendship, cooperation, and sustainable development.
Both sides hope that the conflicts in the South China Sea will be resolved peacefully and that humanitarian assistance will be increased, not using force or threatening to use force, complying with international law, and the United Nations Charter.
VIETNAM BECOMES A DRAGON WITH REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT
For its part, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that the New Zealand Government and people are honored to welcome Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the high-level delegation from Vietnam; pleased to join Vietnam in political and trade commitments, together contribute to building peace and stability in the region, bilateral agreements that benefit the people of both countries.
According to the head of the New Zealand Government, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh summarized the discussion clearly and specifically. Prime Minister New Zealand emphasized the importance of cooperation in areas to ensure safety, security, and promote trade in the region.
He assessed Vietnam as an important partner, one of the countries that has created a very strong development momentum. “Congratulations to the Government and people of Vietnam for achieving great achievements in economic activities, Vietnam has become a dragon with remarkable development and high annual growth,” he said.
In the past 5 years, bilateral trade turnover has increased significantly by 60%, and New Zealand people and businesses have benefited greatly from cooperation with Vietnamese partners. The two sides set a target for the end of 2024, bilateral trade turnover will reach USD 2 billion, as well as cooperation on non-tariff issues, agriculture, education, and especially tourism.
Affirming that there are still many areas of great potential for cooperation, both sides are committed to developing a cooperation plan to achieve the goal of zero emissions by 2050. New Zealand will continue to invest in Vietnam in areas such as agriculture, environmental protection, and has taken specific steps to implement the commitments of the two Governments.
Prime Minister of New Zealand appreciates and looks forward to visiting Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
According to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, 2025 marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the New Zealand Government is committed to implementing plans to strengthen friendship, enhance cooperation, and elevate the Vietnam – New Zealand Strategic Partnership to a new level.
Prime Minister of New Zealand appreciates and looks forward to visiting Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
On this occasion, the functional agencies of the two countries signed 3 important cooperation agreements on education and training, trade, and finance. Both Prime Ministers agreed to proactively and actively implement the above-mentioned agreements.
Both sides believe that by leveraging the achievements already achieved, with the determination of the leadership and people of the two countries, the Vietnam – New Zealand relationship will continue to develop strongly, deeper, more substantial, and more effective, bringing practical benefits to the people of both countries and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.
