According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will pay an official visit to Vietnam and attend the second ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) from February 25 to 28.
This is Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's first visit to Vietnam since he took office in November 2023. New Zealand's foreign policy under him has been shaped by a "reset" of international relations, with Southeast Asia a high priority after Australia and its South Pacific neighbors.
The Times of New Zealand reported on February 21, quoting Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as saying: “Vietnam is a rising star in Southeast Asia, one of the fastest growing economies in the region.
This year, our two countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. My visit will continue to strengthen our relationship, strengthen existing trade and open up more opportunities for New Zealand businesses to increase income and create jobs at home."
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| New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during a meeting in Wellington in March 2024. (Photo: VNA) |
Speaking to the press ahead of the visit, New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Caroline Beresford said many bilateral agreements will be signed during this visit.
She affirmed that the visit of Prime Minister Luxon and a large business delegation not only has the meaning of celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (June 19, 1975 - June 19, 2025) but also aims to strengthen and expand relations with an important partner like Vietnam.
"If we consider the relationship as a piece of cloth, then the structure of the relationship is like the threads that are woven together, making the cloth stronger. Therefore, in a way, the Prime Minister's visit to Vietnam aims to further tighten those threads, so that in the context of the current unstable international environment, the relationship between the two countries will always be strong," the Ambassador shared.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's trip is expected to open up new business opportunities, with businesses in the accompanying trade delegation expected to sign cooperation agreements with partners in Vietnam, particularly in the fields of education, food and beverage.
“Our Prime Minister has a very ambitious agenda for New Zealand in terms of its relationship with Southeast Asia. His Government has acted quickly to reset our foreign policy and as part of that we have identified Vietnam as one of our most important partners in the region and globally,” said Ambassador Caroline Beresford.
In today's world, it is completely reasonable for countries like Vietnam and New Zealand - both advocates for peace, security, stability and prosperity for their people - to cooperate more closely to protect the foundations that both sides have laid down over the past time. Therefore, Ms. Caroline Beresford believes that upgrading the Vietnam - New Zealand relationship is an absolutely correct step.
Ambassador Caroline Beresford shared that she has worked in the field of foreign affairs for 25 years and worked in 5 countries, including the United States, but she has never seen an approach to policy development that is as academic, rigorous and systematic as in Vietnam. This is extremely impressive and the Ambassador believes that the whole region as well as the world can learn from the way Vietnam makes policy.
"New Zealand also has ambitious economic growth plans, but from a much smaller base than Vietnam. And when the New Zealand Prime Minister visits Vietnam next week, I will tell him that if he comes back here in 5 years, he probably won't recognize Vietnam anymore. This is truly an inspiring country, with a growth rate that amazes the world," the Ambassador added.
Ms. Caroline Beresford expressed that New Zealand wishes to contribute to Vietnam's development story as a trusted partner and a sincere friend. Although New Zealand has made modest contributions to Vietnam's development, it has built a solid strategic trust. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's visit this time aims to further strengthen that trust, demonstrate respect for Vietnam, express gratitude for Vietnam's leadership and affirm New Zealand's seriousness in developing the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung assessed that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's visit to Vietnam was of historical significance, contributing to realizing the expectations of the people of the two countries in the new era.
During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to New Zealand in March 2024, the two sides affirmed their political determination and determination to create further breakthroughs to achieve the two-way trade turnover target of 3 billion USD by 2026.
According to Ambassador Nguyen Van Trung, Vietnam and New Zealand have economic strengths that can complement each other, especially in areas of strategic significance to the future of the two countries. The two countries are also members of many important free trade agreements in the region, creating opportunities to take advantage of trade exchanges and economic and investment cooperation.
Education and training is one of the traditional areas of cooperation that has brought practical results between the two countries. More and more Vietnamese students are choosing New Zealand as their study abroad destination thanks to its high-quality education and attractive scholarship programs. New Zealand is also helping Vietnam train experts, senior managers, advanced scientific researchers and skilled workers.
With a strong commitment to addressing climate change, the two countries are strengthening cooperation in new areas such as renewable energy development, environmental protection, high-tech and sustainable agriculture. New Zealand can support Vietnam in improving technology and solutions to reduce carbon emissions. The two sides are expanding cooperation to new areas such as green economy, digital economy, knowledge economy, circular economy and energy transition, implementing commitments on climate change.
In the international arena, Vietnam and New Zealand share many common views and interests in the region, and there are increasingly many points of commonality that can allow cooperation and support each other in regional and international issues, especially in promoting peace, stability and sustainable development in the Indo-Pacific region. The two countries have much room to expand cooperation, not only for economic and trade benefits but also for strategic benefits.
Ambassador Nguyen Van Trung commented: With a solid foundation of relations and friendship between the two peoples, the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and New Zealand has the potential to develop strongly in the coming years. Continuing to strengthen strategic political trust, creating breakthroughs in economic and trade cooperation, innovating educational cooperation and expanding cooperation to new areas promises that the two countries will maximize their cooperation potential, together moving towards a prosperous future.
Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/thu-tuong-new-zealand-viet-nam-la-ngoi-sao-dang-len-o-dong-nam-a-210361.html
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