The following is the full text of the joint press release:

New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon welcomed Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to New Zealand for his first official visit and constructive bilateral talks on March 11.

The Prime Ministers reaffirmed the deep and enduring friendship and Strategic Partnership shared by Vietnam and New Zealand, underpinned by strong people-to-people links and close cooperation in areas of diplomacy, economics, trade and investment, education, labour, science and technology.

“We have built great momentum in our bilateral relationship since the upgrade of our relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2020. Vietnam is one of New Zealand’s key relationships in South East Asia, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and our 14th largest trading partner. We discussed opportunities to significantly boost annual two-way trade to a new goal of 3 billion USD in 2026 by enhancing our tourism and education flows, as well as removing non-tariff barriers, accelerating trade promotion activities, fully committing to existing FTAs and studying measures to promote greater investment in both directions,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

Prime Minister Luxon also announced a new 6.24-million NZD investment in Vietnam’s horticulture sector, the ‘Vietnam Climate-Smart Fruit Value Chain (VietFruit)’ project, delivered through a partnership with the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research to support climate and economic resilience in Vietnam’s passionfruit industry, building on the highly successful New Zealand-funded dragon fruit project that preceded it.

The Prime Ministers welcomed plans to progress cooperation in the education sector through the new Education Engagement Arrangement focusing on institution-to-institution partnerships in the tertiary sector, innovative education models via digital capability tools, and alumni engagement.

“The New Zealand government is committed to boosting international education and diversifying our international education markets. Prime Minister Chinh and I discussed opportunities for more Vietnamese students to study at our world-class universities,” says Prime Minister Luxon.

Prime Minister Chinh’s visit will also see New Zealand and Vietnam advancing cooperation across a range of fronts – with new Arrangements also signed on economic and trade cooperation, and finance. High-level defence and police dialogues are also being progressed.

Plans were also announced for a bilateral Oceans Dialogue in 2024 on international law, maritime governance, and marine conservation. The Prime Ministers reiterated the two countries’ determination to respect international law, including the United Nations Charter and UNCLOS, and their commitment to working together and with other international partners to contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity globally and in the Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnamese).

The Prime Ministers looked forward to the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations next year as an excellent opportunity to expand the relationship into new areas of mutual interest such as the green economy, climate change digital transformation and agri-tech cooperation.

“Vietnam and New Zealand have made excellent progress together on our Action Plan for the period 2021-2024, resulting in significant outcomes in economic and trade initiatives, defence, security, education and labour. Prime Minister Luxon and I have agreed to accelerate the exchange of high-level visits and contacts, and to actively implement cooperation mechanisms as we look forward to elevating our bilateral relations to a higher level in the near future. I am pleased Prime Minister Luxon has accepted my invitation to undertake an official visit to Vietnam at a mutually convenient time,” says Prime Minister Chinh.

Vietnamese PM meets with Speaker of New Zealand Parliament

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament Gerry Brownlee in Wellington on March 11 afternoon (local time) as part of his official visit to the South Pacific nation.

Congratulating Brownlee on being elected Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament, PM Chinh expressed his belief that the country will become increasingly prosperous and secure a growing stature in the region and the world, with the New Zealand Parliament playing an important role.

Speaker Brownlee voiced his delight at the progress of the friendship and cooperation in various areas between the two countries.

Both host and guest agreed to exert joint efforts to make new breakthroughs in labour and education - training cooperation.

Speaker Brownlee pledged to promote the granting of long-term visas for Vietnamese citizens. He highly valued the Vietnamese community’s considerable contributions to New Zealand and the bilateral relations. He also agreed to increase people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation to help strengthen the friendship and bonds between the two nations' people.

PM Chinh suggested the two sides continue increasing mutual visits, especially those at the high level; create conditions for their specialty fruits, including banana and passion fruits of Vietnam and kiwi and cherry of New Zealand, to enter each other’s markets; foster navigation and aviation connectivity; and step up cultural ties and people-to-people interactions.

Meanwhile, the two countries’ legislative bodies should continue bringing into play their roles in further strengthening the Vietnam - New Zealand Strategic Partnership; share experience in resolving national issues, building law-governed states, and exercising supreme supervision; create legal frameworks to assist their respective governments; and work together to promote the implementation of the signed cooperation agreements, he recommended.

The two leaders agreed to facilitate experience exchanges between the parliaments’ committees, parliamentary friendship groups, female parliamentarians, and young parliamentarians in not only traditional fields but also new ones such as climate change response, just energy transition, digital transformation, and digital economy.

At the meeting, they also touched upon some regional and international issues of shared concern. They agreed that Vietnam and New Zealand will support each other at international organisations, including the United Nations, ASEAN-led mechanisms, and multilateral parliamentary forums.

Prime Minister meets New Zealand’s Governor-General

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Cindy Kiro in Wellington on March 11 (local time), as part of his ongoing official visit to New Zealand.

The Governor-General said the PM’s visit is of significance as the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025, and expressed her belief that it will be a success, contributing to enhancing the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnership.

Kiro also commended Vietnam’s important role and position in the region, especially within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), affirming that New Zealand always considers Vietnam a crucial partner in the region.

The PM conveyed regards from Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other high-ranking leaders of Vietnam to the Governor-General.

Informing Kiro of the outcomes of the talks with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon earlier the same day, Chinh said the bilateral relationship has been developing intensively, extensively, and substantively over the past nearly five decades, especially after the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2020.

Ample room remains for the two sides to foster their strategic partnership, for the sake of their people, and for peace, stability and development in the region, he continued.

Host and guest agreed to strengthen and deepen the relations across spheres, step up people-to-people exchange, carry forward the role of the two countries’ friendship associations, and weigh the resumption of direct flights.  

Chinh laid an emphasis on the six main cooperation areas, namely high-ranking delegation exchange and the implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms; trade-investment; education-training; green economy, sustainable development and environmental protection; cultural exchange; and labour.

The PM suggested New Zealand further facilitate the Vietnamese community to live and study there, and serve as a bridge between the two countries.

Kiro affirmed her support for the Vietnamese community, and lauded their contributions to New Zealand’s development.

The two sides also concurred to maintain their close coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums./.VNA