Foreign ministries seek ways to bolster cooperation between Vietnam, NZ

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh held a virtual discussion on March 10 with New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta to discuss the strength of the relations, as well as opportunities to deepen connections by working together to address some of the most pressing global and regional challenges.

Hannah Nguyen

ngminhphuong26@gmail.com March 11, 2021 | 07:53

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Foreign ministries seek ways to bolster cooperation between Vietnam, NZ

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh held a virtual discussion on March 10 with New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta. Source: baoquocte.vn

According to VNA, both sides expressed their satisfaction that the strategic partnership established in July 2020 between the two countries is developing effectively and extensively.

Mahuta congratulated Vietnam on the success of the 13th National Party Congress and on its role as ASEAN Chair in 2020 and non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2020-2021.

She also praised Vietnam's achievements in implementing the dual goals of COVID-19 containment and socio-economic development.

For his part, Minh expressed his belief that New Zealand will be one of the leading countries in successfully controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and restoring economic growth.

The two officials agreed to strengthen high-level exchanges and meetings, promote two-way investment, enhance the efficiency of the economic - trade cooperation commission mechanism, and quickly compile and sign an action programme for implementing the Vietnam - New Zealand Strategic Partnership in 2021.

Vietnam and New Zealand will foster ODA cooperation, implement an action plan on defence cooperation in 2018-2021, promote links between schools and universities in the two countries, restore tourism cooperation, and promote people-to-people exchanges.

The two nations will also beef up coordination at multilateral forums, including mutually supporting candidacies for UN agencies and organisations, as well as coordinating in the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Minh pledged to work closely with New Zealand to successfully implement APEC Year 2021.

He also took the occasion to invite Mahuta to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time.

Vietnam-New Zealand trade has enjoyed average growth of 14.2 percent annually since the establishment of the comprehensive partnership in 2009.

Trade tripled over the last decade, from 320 million USD in 2009 to over 1 billion USD in 2018.

Vietnam is currently the 16th-largest trade partner of New Zealand and the two countries boast many advantages from supplementing each other. New Zealand has high demand for importing garments and textiles, footwear, wood, tropical farm produce, and seafood, which are strengths of Vietnam, while Vietnam needs to import milk and dairy products, wine, lamb, fruit, raw wood materials, and materials and accessories for garment-textile and leather-footwear.

New Zealand has allowed the import of Vietnamese fresh mangoes, dragon fruit, and rambutan, while Vietnam is proposing it also grant licences for the import of fresh limes and passionfruit.

Vietnam has opened door for potatoes, frozen beef, kiwi fruit, and apples from New Zealand, to boost bilateral trade.

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