Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern. Photo: Lao dong (Labour) newspaper

Speaking highly of the positive progress in defence, security and judicial cooperation, the leaders consented to expand partnerships to other areas such as defence industry; military medicine; UN peacekeeping; fight against cyber security, transnational crimes, and terrorism; disaster prevention and control, search and rescue; negotiations towards signing agreements on extradition and transfer of sentenced persons, mutual judicial assistance in criminal and civil matters.

They agreed to increase the exchange of visits and meetings at all levels via the Party, National Assembly and Government channels, well prepare for the upcoming New Zealand visit by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, and encourage people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges, and consider the establishment of new cooperation frameworks and mechanisms.

As there remains ample room to further boost trade ties, they suggested ministries and agencies concerned further open the markets for each other’s farm produce toward raising bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2024. The two sides also pledged to effectively implement regional free trade agreements to which both nations are members, VietnamPlus reported.

The Vietnamese Government will create conditions and encourage New Zealand businesses to invest in Vietnam in areas that New Zealand has strength and Vietnam has demand such as education and training, manufacturing and processing industry, agriculture, forestry, fishery and construction, PM Chinh said, proposing New Zealand offer all possible support to Vietnamese enterprises to do business in the Pacific country.

The host hailed New Zealand's continued provision of ODA for Vietnam, focusing on the fields of agriculture, climate change response, health and innovation.

At the talks between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern. Photo: hoto: Lao dong (Labour) newspaper

The leaders agreed to continue promoting cooperation in other areas such as education-training, tourism, aviation, culture, tourism, sports, labour, and agro-forestry-fishery. They were delighted that the two countries did and will recognise each other’s market for several types of fruits.

Speaking highly of the signing of cooperation agreements in education and civil transport during the visit, they agreed to direct ministries and agencies concerned to discuss and sign more deals on tourism and culture, and expand cooperation to new fields like climate change response, digital transformation and green growth.

On this occasion, PM Ardern informed that New Zealand has decided to temporarily double the quota for Vietnamese citizens to join the working holiday programme.

Both leaders expressed their support for continued close cooperation and coordination at regional and global forums. PM Ardern asserted that New Zealand treasures the development of its strategic partnership with ASEAN and always backs ASEAN’s central role.

New Zealand will continue to actively support cooperation in the Mekong sub-region under the "Friends of the Mekong" mechanism and is ready to push forward cooperation between New Zealand and Vietnam, and countries in the South Pacific region, she said.

On the South China Sea (Bien Dong) issue, the two PMs underscored the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the sea, promoting dialogue, enhancing trust, and settling disputes via peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements between the two countries.

The same day, the New Zealand PM met Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who affirmed that Vietnam treasures ties with New Zealand in its foreign policy, VOV reported.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo: VNA

The two leaders underscored the importance of strengthening trust, dialogue, friendly cooperation and goodwill in seeking solutions to global issues.

Meeting with PM Ardern the same day, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc suggested that the two countries expand cooperation to new areas such as energy transition, green growth, opening of seasonal direct flights, and cooperation between universities.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Photo: Vietnamnet

The New Zealand PM said New Zealand will help Vietnam strengthen ties with South Pacific island states.

At a meeting with the New Zealand PM, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue proposed the two sides increase the exchange of visits and cooperation between parliamentary committees and friendship parliamentarians’ groups of the two countries to share information and experience, toward signing a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. Photo: Vietnamnet

The two sides should continue mutual support and close coordination at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP), the top legislator said, as cited by Nhan dan (People) newspaper./.

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