Since Vietnam and New Zealand officially established diplomatic relations in 1975, the cooperative ties between the two countries have flourished based on mutual understanding and respect. Both sides regularly maintain exchanges and contacts at high levels and all levels. Through the exchanges and contacts, both sides continue to affirm their high level of political trust and substantive exchanges on specific orientations and fields to enhance bilateral relations in the current period.
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On February 25, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrives in Hanoi, beginning his official visit to Vietnam and attendance at the second ASEAN Future Forum from February 25 to 28 at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. (Photo: VNA) |
Attentively, both sides have focused on economic, trade, and investment cooperation. Currently, Vietnam is New Zealand's 12th largest trade partner, with two-way trade reaching 1.3 billion USD in 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, New Zealand is Vietnam’s 41st largest trade partner. During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to New Zealand (March 2024), the two Prime Ministers discussed opportunities to speed up bilateral trade, aiming for 3 billion USD by 2026 via enhancing cooperation in tourism, education; removing non-tariff barriers; promoting trade promotion activities, while fully implementing existing free trade agreements and researching measures to facilitate two-way investment.
Regarding defense and security affairs, the two sides have maintained regular exchanges, information sharing, and cooperation under the Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation signed by the two Ministries of National Defense in 2013 and the Agreement on combating transnational crime between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the New Zealand Police in 2019. New Zealand has supported Vietnam in organizing training programs on counter-terrorism, forensic techniques, investigation, anti-money laundering, and high-tech crimes. Both countries have continued to implement training support programs, particularly English language training for U.N. peacekeeping missions, as well as maintain visits of naval vessels and bilateral defense dialogues.
Additionally, cooperation in education-training, labor, cultural exchange, and people-to-people exchanges has also seen encouraging results. Among them, education cooperation is one of the outstanding areas of collaboration, being one of the three main pillars of the Vietnam-New Zealand Strategic Partnership Action Program in the 2021-2024 period. The two countries signed the Vietnam-New Zealand Strategic Cooperation Plan for Education in the 2023-2026 period (March 2024). New Zealand will continue to offer 30 scholarships per year for Vietnam for master's and doctorate training programs, and maintain English language training programs for Vietnamese civil servants.
On the multilateral level, both sides have closely cooperated with each other and actively supported each other in regional and international forums. The two countries have also worked together on mutual interests, including the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, and promoted cooperation via free trade agreements both countries are part of, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
New Zealand highly values its ties with Vietnam, considering it an important element in its Asia-Pacific policy. In addition, New Zealand places importance on its relations with ASEAN, supporting ASEAN's central role in the regional structure and the formation of the ASEAN Community, and actively participating in ASEAN-led regional mechanisms and forums, focusing on deepening ties with ASEAN through a more extensive connectivity strategy.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's official visit to Vietnam and participation in the second ASEAN Future Forum is taking place at a significant time as the two countries are preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 5th anniversary of the strategic partnership. Vietnam is currently the coordinator for ASEAN-New Zealand relations, with 2025 marking the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue Relations. This important milestone is an opportunity for both sides to evaluate the path of friendly cooperation and strategic partnership to set the course for future relations. It is also a chance for leaders of both countries to engage in deeper discussions on major global and regional issues, enhancing political trust, consensus on viewpoints and vision between the two countries.
It is believed that the visit of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will conclude successfully, contributing to lifting Vietnam-New Zealand cooperation to a higher level across all sectors and fostering peace, cooperation, and development in the region and world.
Translated by Quynh Oanh