VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Prime Minister Bill English has said the New Zealand government will continue providing official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam at a steady level.

During talks with Deputy PM Vu Van Ninh in Hanoi on September 17, Bill English, who is also Finance Minister, affirmed that New Zealand considers Vietnam one of its important partners within ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region.

He said he is satisfied with the progress of New Zealand-funded ODA projects in Vietnam.

For his part, Ninh reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to cooperation with countries in South Pacific, including New Zealand.

He thanked New Zealand for providing ODA to Vietnam and voiced Vietnam’s support for New Zealand’s new ASEAN strategy announced by Prime Minister John Kerry in July 2013.

Vietnam will work closely with New Zealand and other relevant countries to end current negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement as soon as possible.

Ninh and English shared the view that the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and New Zealand has developed vigorously in all areas, spanning politics, security, national defence, economics, trade, investment, and education.

They agreed to effectively implement the 2013-2016 Plan of Action and the double tax avoidance agreement signed during Governor General Jerry Mateparae’s Vietnam visit in August 2013, aiming to raise two-way trade to US$1 billion by 2015.

They also agreed to increase the exchange of delegations, and strengthen cooperation in security, national defence, and other potential areas such as agriculture, the processing industry, energy, wood and mineral exploitation, milk and beverage production, legislation, education-training, tourism, labour, and people-to-people exchanges.

Both sides will carry out joint activities to successfully celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2015.

The two Deputy PMs exchanged regional and international issues of mutual concern, and agreed to cooperate closely at regional and international forums, including the East Asia Summit (EAS), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC), and Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), as well as within the framework of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.  

Bill English met with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and is scheduled to work with Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung and central bank governor Nguyen Van Binh on September 17.

Source: VOV