New Zealand and Vietnamese PMs Joint Press Release Highlights Strategic Partnership
Wellington, The Gulf Observer: In a landmark meeting, New Zealand Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon warmly welcomed Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính to New Zealand for his inaugural official visit, fostering constructive bilateral discussions on March 11. The leaders jointly affirmed the enduring friendship and Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and New Zealand, characterized by robust people-to-people connections and collaborative efforts across various domains such as diplomacy, economics, trade and investment, education, labor, science, and technology.
Prime Minister Luxon remarked on the remarkable progress achieved since the elevation of the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2020. Vietnam stands as a key partner for New Zealand in Southeast Asia, experiencing substantial economic growth and ranking as the 14th largest trading partner. Discussions centered on the shared commitment to boost annual two-way trade to a target of US$3 billion by 2026. Strategies include enhancing tourism and education flows, eliminating non-tariff barriers, intensifying trade promotion activities, upholding existing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and exploring measures to encourage greater investment in both directions.
In a significant announcement, Prime Minister Luxon disclosed a new NZD6.24 million investment in Vietnam’s horticulture sector through the ‘Viet Nam Climate-Smart Fruit Value Chain (VietFruit)’ project. Executed in collaboration with the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, the initiative aims to enhance climate and economic resilience in Vietnam’s passionfruit industry, building on the success of the prior New Zealand-funded dragon fruit project.
The leaders also welcomed plans for enhanced cooperation in the education sector through a new Education Engagement Arrangement, focusing on institution-to-institution partnerships in the tertiary sector, innovative education models utilizing digital capability tools, and alumni engagement.
Prime Minister Chính’s visit marked the signing of new Arrangements on economic and trade cooperation, and finance. Advancements in high-level defense and police dialogues were also on the agenda.
A bilateral Oceans Dialogue is scheduled for 2024, covering international law, maritime governance, and marine conservation. Both Prime Ministers reiterated their commitment to upholding international law, including the United Nations Charter and UNCLOS, and pledged to collaborate with other international partners to contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, including the South China Sea (known as the East Sea in Vietnamese).
Anticipation surrounds the upcoming 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, viewed as an opportune moment to diversify cooperation into emerging areas such as the green economy, climate change, digital transformation, and agri-tech collaboration.
Reflecting on the progress made under the Action Plan for 2021-2024, both leaders expressed a commitment to accelerating high-level visits and contacts while actively implementing cooperation mechanisms. Prime Minister Chính extended an invitation to Prime Minister Luxon for an official visit to Vietnam, emphasizing mutual eagerness to elevate bilateral relations to new heights in the near future.
