Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his New Zealand counterpart John Key have agreed to intensify the two countries’ comprehensive partnership, ultimately building towards a future strategic partnership.

During their talks in Auckland on March 19, New Zealand PM John Key hailed the Vietnamese leader’s official visit as an important event amid activities to mark the 40th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties (1975-2015).

The two leaders voiced their delight at the substantial development of bilateral cooperation in politics, trade, investment, security-defence, education and culture.

Trade reached 800 million USD in 2014, rocketing up 120 percent within the five years since their comprehensive partnership was set up in 2009. It is hoped to hit 1.7 billion USD by 2020.

At the talks, both sides pledged to create the best possible conditions for goods and services to enter each other’s market.

New Zealand promised to consider the import of Vietnamese fruits such as rambutan, longan, star apple, and grapefruit. It also regards Vietnam as a potential market and will continue investing in realms of shared interest such as agriculture, energy, and education-training.

The two PMs said their countries will enhance all-level delegation exchanges and diversify forms of contact, expanding to include phone conversations, meetings on the fringe of high-level conferences, and special envoys. They will also more effectively utilise current cooperation mechanisms to successfully implement signed agreements and targets stipulated in the second phase of their action programme (2013-2016).

The leaders discussed measures to boost cooperation in defence-security, education, people-to-people exchange, and labour.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung valued the New Zealand Government’s official development assistance to Vietnam and sought closer collaboration in common concerns, including agriculture and rural areas, human resources development, disaster risk management, and post-war recovery.

Meanwhile, PM John Key affirmed that New Zealand will continue to provide technical support to improve Vietnam’s human resource capacity. He also suggested a new cooperation model called inter-governmental trade partnership.

The two sides consented to increase cultural, artistic and tourism exchange activities to enhance mutual understanding, especially as they celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations in 2015. In that spirit, a direct air route between the nations is expected to be established shortly to foster trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

Vietnam currently ranks ninth among countries sending students to New Zealand.

PM John Key appreciated the contributions of the Vietnamese community to his country and pledged to provide favourable conditions for them to settle, integrate, and engage in local political and socio-economic activities.

During the talks, both sides were unanimous in expanding consultation, policy coordination, and mutual support to address global challenges and promote shared matters. They also committed to shortly conclude negotiations on free trade deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement.

PM John Key thanked Vietnam for supporting New Zealand’s candidacy for a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council’s 2015-2016 term and committed to support the Southeast Asian country’s organisation of the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Sharing views on regional and international issues of common concern, the two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining regional peace and stability and called on concerned parties to resolve sea disputes without force and in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

On the occasion, PM Nguyen Tan Dung invited the New Zealand Prime Minister to visit Vietnam. John Key accepted and confirmed his visit will take place within the year.

Following their talks, the two sides issued a joint statement on strengthening the Vietnam-New Zealand comprehensive partnership.

The PMs also witnessed the signing of an agreement on food safety and animal and plant quarantine as well as a protocol amending their air services agreement.

PM meets with New Zealand Governor-General

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with New Zealand Governor-General Jerry Mateparae on March 19 as part of his ongoing official visit to the country.

The Vietnamese leader briefed his host on major outcomes from his talks with Prime Minister John Key, expressing his delight at the growing cooperation between the two countries over the past four decades, especially after the establishment of their comprehensive partnership in 2009.

He held that there is room for Vietnam and New Zealand to optimise their partnership for the interest of both peoples and for peace, stability and development in the region.

He noted that both sides agreed to deepen and intensify bilateral ties building towards a strategic partnership. The two countries also pledged to continue working closely and supporting one another at regional and international forums.

General-Governor Mateparae expressed his pleasure at the fruitful meeting between the two PMs, affirming his support for fostering the intensive collaboration between the two countries in an attempt to elevate bilateral ties to a new height.

He lauded the specific agreements reached during the Vietnamese PM’s visit while proposing measures to enhance their efficiency, including forming twin relations between localities.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung requested additional favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in New Zealand , which he described as a bridge for friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

General-Governor Mateparae pledged to further assist Vietnamese nationals living and studying in his country while lauding the community’s contributions to New Zealand’s development.

PM hails Vietnam-New Zealand parliament cooperation

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highlighted that close cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and its New Zealand counterpart has been an important impetus to promote the comprehensive partnership between the two countries in recent years.

During his meeting with Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives David Carter on March 19, PM Dung spoke highly of positive efforts made by the two countries’ Friendship Parliamentarians Associations, saying they strengthened mutual understanding and trust between the two legislatures.

He congratulated David Carter on his re-election as the Speaker of the NZ House of Representatives for the 2014-2017 term, expressing his belief that under David Carter’s leadership, New Zealand’s legislature and people will see strong achievements in national development.

The Vietnamese leader informed his host on the outcomes of his talks with NZ President John Key earlier on the same day, saying that the two PMs agreed to boost cooperation and deepen the bilateral comprehensive partnership towards upgrading it to Strategic Partnership in the future.

The two sides also reached a consensus on signing an aviation transport protocol and a memorandum of understanding on food safety, added PM Dung.

David Carter affirmed the two nations’ legislative bodies and parliaments will continue working closely to enhance the bilateral comprehensive partnership.

The New Zealand House of Representatives supports efforts to strengthen and develop the comprehensive partnership for the sake of the two countries’ peoples as well as for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and around the world, the Speaker stressed.

He also announced that a House of Representatives delegation will attend the 132 nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-132) in Hanoi later this month, aiming to make positive contributions to the important event’s success.

Room to bolster New Zealand-Vietnam relationship

There is plenty of room to expand and deepen Vietnam and New Zealand’s friendly relationship and elevate it to new heights, said Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in a meeting with Andrew Little, Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party (NZLP), during his working visit to New Zealand on March 19.

The PM underlined that Vietnam highly values the assistance and support the NZLP has offered to Vietnam since the two countries’ governments established diplomatic relations in 1975.

The two leaders also agreed to bolster their relationship in preparation for establishing a strategic partnership.

Little expressed his delight at meeting with PM Nguyen Tan Dung, saying the visit carries an important significance and is a proper occasion to review the 40 years of relations between the two countries to shape future orientations.

He congratulated Vietnam on its achievements over the past four decades and noted the contributions of the smooth relationship between Vietnam and New Zealand to the Southeast Asian nation’s development.

He said the NZLP and other political parties in New Zealand must improve connections with major countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Vietnam.

Pleased with the results from the earlier talks between the two PMs, including the signing of two important agreements, Little confirmed that the Vietnam-New Zealand comprehensive partnership is headed in the right direction.

He said he and the NZLP strongly support the targeted strategic partnership.

The NZPL leader also focused on Vietnamese students in New Zealand and considered connections among the youth to be an important basis for the sustainable future of the Vietnam-New Zealand relationship.

The two countries should also promote interpersonal exchanges and tourism, Little added.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his hopes that joint efforts between the two countries would unlock various cooperation potentials and deepen the comprehensive partnership.

He also concurred with the idea of increasing connections among the youth and said his country is looking to bring the number of Vietnamese students in New Zealand to 3,000 from 2,000 in the near future.

On the same day, the PM met with Vietnamese nationals and students in New Zealand, confirming that they serve as an important bridge in cementing the Vietnam-New Zealand friendship.

The Vietnamese delegation’s members met a number of New Zealand partners to discuss specific measures.

A number of ministerial-level meetings were also held on the day.

PM joins VN-New Zealand Business Dialogue

PM Nguyen Tan Dung on March 20 attended and made a speech at the Viet Nam-New Zealand Business Dialogue in Auckland.

Speaking in front of nearly 100 top businesses from the two nations, PM Dung shared prosperity and potentials of Viet Nam’s economy and opportunities for economic cooperation.

Viet Nam’s reform process and international integration have paved the way for investors, including ones from New Zealand, to explore opportunities in the country, he asserted, adding that the Vietnamese Government advocates and facilitates New Zealand enterprises' investment in their advantageous areas such as agriculture, exploitation, telecommunications, education and training and infrastructure development.  

In term of agriculture, the PM encouraged New Zealand’s businesses to strengthen cooperation and investment in this field in Viet Nam, especially technological transfer, agricultural processing and agricultural services.

Viet Nam continues to accelerate reform and economic restructuring, focusing on launching effectively three strategic breakthroughs in accordance with renewing growth model, increasing the economic capacity, quality, effectiveness and competitiveness, he revealed.

After concluding the Free Trade Agreements negotiations in the 2015-2020 phase, Viet Nam will become a crucial chain in the economic network with 55 partners, including 15 ones in the G20, he added.

Minister of Energy and Resources Simon Bridges supposed that agreements signed during PM Dung’s visit to New Zealand will unbind the trade barriers and enhance connections between the two sides’ businesses.  

In the future, he will lead New Zealand’s top businesses to visit Viet Nam to seek cooperation and investment opportunities.

The two countries' trade turnover increased from US$300 million in 2009 to US$900 million in 2014 and is expected to exceed US$1 billion in this year.

New Zealand has poured US$82 million in 25 projects in Viet Nam, ranking 43rd among 101 nations and territories investing in Viet Nam.  

After the dialogue, PM Nguyen Tan Dung received leaders of Air New Zealand, which intends to launch a direct air route between Viet Nam and New Zealand.

VNA/VGP