Vietnam News Today (Feb. 27): Vietnam, New Zealand Upgrade Bilateral Ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

	Vietnam News Today (Feb. 25): Vietnam-Indonesia Diplomatic Ties Marked in Jakarta
	Vietnam News Today (Feb. 26): Vietnam Eyes Stronger Cooperation With Timor-Leste

President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam earns respect of int’l community: Timor-Leste President

President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta spotlighted the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025, Vietnam - Timor-Leste cooperation, and Timor-Leste’s efforts to join ASEAN during an interview recently granted to the press.

He expressed hope that the AFF will become a necessary, indispensable forum that would involve many countries beyond the region.

Praising Vietnam’s remarkable achievements across various sectors, including impressive economic growth, equitable wealth distribution, he noted that such have earned respect of the international community, cited VNA.

Therefore, hosting this forum is entirely in line with Vietnam’s position. The topics discussed here are diverse, especially in the current global context, which presents both challenges and opportunities, he said.

According to the President, Vietnam is actually also pioneering in digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and global connectivity. In Timor-Leste, Telemor, which is a Viettel subsidiary, is now the top telecom operator against two or three others. He hoped that both nations would expand bilateral economic and trade ties for mutual benefits, including telecommunications and connectivity.

He also expected to see a greater Timor-Leste - Vietnam partnership in agriculture, food security, water resources, pharmaceuticals, and health care; as well as more Timor-Leste students coming to Vietnam, and more Vietnamese investments in Timor-Leste.

Timor-Leste has billions of dollars in sovereign funds that the government has been using to invest in the stock market internationally, the President noted.

About Timor Leste’s journey of joining ASEAN, he said Vietnam's support, along with the consensus from Cambodia, Laos, and other regional countries, has helped Timor-Leste walk into ASEAN with greater confidence.

In closing, he added that Timor-Leste, with its stability and peace, wishes to contribute to the region’s unity and common development.

Nha Trang, Phu Quoc among Southeast Asia’s most iconic beach destinations

The Times of India has named Nha Trang city in Khanh Hoa province and Phu Quoc island in Kien Giang province among the Top 10 Southeast Asian iconic beach destinations to visit in March.

The Indian media outlet said that Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s most stunning beaches, with March being the best month to explore them thanks to warm temperatures, minimal rainfall, and fewer crowds compared to the peak season.

According to the list, Phu Quoc island located off the coast of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang was placed at sixth in the list, while Nha Trang, a coastal city in central Vietnam, ranked in eighth.

Phu Quoc is a much-loved destination among both foreign and domestic tourists for its endless beaches.

The Times of India stressed that Phu Quoc island is a rising star in Southeast Asia’s beach scene.

“March is ideal for visiting its turquoise waters and unspoiled beaches like Sao Beach and Long Beach. The island also boasts vibrant coral reefs, making it a fantastic spot for diving and snorkeling,” it noted.

The publication added that March is one of the best months to visit Nha Trang, noting that it is famous for its golden beaches and excellent diving conditions.

It shared that Tran Phu beach is the most famous stretch, lined with restaurants and beach resorts.

In addition, they stressed that those seeking a more secluded experience can head to Hon Chong beach or take a boat trip to the nearby Hon Mun island, famous for its coral reefs and marine biodiversity.

Rounding off the list of the Top 10 most iconic beach destinations in Southeast Asia is Phuket of Thailand, Bali of Indonesia, Boracay of the Philippines, Langkawi of Malaysia, Koh Samui of Thailand, Gili Islands of Indonesia, El Nido of Philippines, and Koh Rong of Cambodia.

Vietnam, New Zealand upgrade bilateral ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon held a joint press conference on the results of their talks in Hanoi on February 26 afternoon, during which they announced the upgrade of the bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

PM Chinh once again welcomed PM Luxon on his official visit to Vietnam and his participation in the ASEAN Future Forum 2025, particularly as the two nations are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations, marking the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral ties.

He said their meeting was open, candid, sincere, and built on mutual understanding. Both sides recognised that after more than five decades of diplomatic ties, 16 years as comprehensive partners, and five years as strategic partners, bilateral relationship has developed extensively and has been well-positioned for a new phase of growth. As a result, the two countries agreed to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

According to Chinh, the new framework would strengthen political trust and deepen Vietnam-New Zealand cooperation, meeting the shared aspirations of both countries' people based on respecting international law, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and each other’s political systems. It would also make significant contributions to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

Under this new comprehensive strategic partnership, bilateral ties will see "five key enhancements" -stronger and more strategic political trust; more substantive cooperation in defense and security; closer and more effective economic, trade, and investment collaboration; the elevation of science, technology, and climate change cooperation as a new pillar of bilateral relations; and deeper people-to-people links through enhanced cooperation in human resources development, labour, and tourism. The two sides encouraged airlines from both countries to launch direct flights, as Vietjet has already done.

PM Chinh said that both sides also agreed to boost coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations, ASEAN, and ASEAN-led mechanisms, as well as to promote dialogue, build trust among nations, and uphold ASEAN’s central role in shaping the evolving regional architecture.

They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, resolving disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), enhancing maritime cooperation while striving to make the East Sea the waters of peace, stability, friendship, cooperation, and development.

PM Chinh emphasized that with the official upgrade of bilateral relations, Vietnam and New Zealand have entered a new chapter in their partnership. This enhanced cooperation framework will ensure more substantive, effective, and sustainable collaboration across various fields, meeting the aspirations and interests of both nations and contributing to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development. The two governments are committed to effectively carrying out this new framework.

He also affirmed that as the coordinator of ASEAN-New Zealand relations, Vietnam will continue working to strengthen bilateral ties and advocate for an upgraded ASEAN-New Zealand partnership for mutual benefit, peace, cooperation, and regional development, according to VNA.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the joint press conference announcing the outcomes of their official talks and the exchange of cooperation documents between the two countries on February 26. (Photo: VNA)

PM Luxon underlined New Zealand’s interest in deepening ties with Vietnam, while highlighting Vietnam’s strong development. He said bilateral trade has grown by 40% over the past five years, while hailing Vietnam as an attractive investment destination. Luxon also highlighted opportunities for further collaboration in agriculture, fisheries, renewable energy, maritime cooperation, education, defense, and security.

He affirmed New Zealand’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Vietnam, advancing defense and security dialogues, and preparing for a visit by a New Zealand naval ship to Vietnam later this year.

He took the occasion to thank Vietnam for inviting him to the ASEAN Future Forum, viewing it as an opportunity to contribute ideas on fostering a resilient and prosperous ASEAN region while aligning priorities between New Zealand, Vietnam, and ASEAN.

He noted that New Zealand’s ties with Vietnam and ASEAN have never been closer and expressed a strong desire to promote people-to-people exchanges as a crucial foundation for bilateral relations. He also highlighted plans to augment cooperation in education, tourism, and scholarships.

Luxon expressed his hope for continued collaboration with Chinh in realising the potential of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

As part of the upgraded partnership, the two countries witnessed the signing of eight cooperation agreements, including a memorandum on climate change collaboration, an agreement on doctoral training for Vietnamese university lecturers, and a deal on digital transformation in healthcare. Notably, Vietjet announced a new fifth-freedom flight route between Vietnam and New Zealand, and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare donated 10 high-flow oxygen devices to Bach Mai Hospital.

Luxury cruise ship Norwegian Spirit brings 1,900 tourists to Khanh Hoa

The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship Norwegian Spirit, carrying 1,900 international tourists, arrived at Cam Ranh International Port in Khanh Hoa province on February 26.

During their stay, visitors explored Nha Trang city on cyclo tours, cruised along the Cai River, and visited the countryside. Some also took out-of-province trips to Nui Chua National Park and Vinh Hy Bay in Ninh Thuan province.

Later in the afternoon, the cruise ship departed for its next destination, Hong Kong (China), cited VOV.

Cruise ship Norwegian Spirit carrying up to 1,900 passengers docks on February 26 at Cam Ranh International Port. (Photo: baokhanhhoa.vn)

So far this year, Khanh Hoa has welcomed seven international cruise ships with over 12,500 passengers. By April, the province expects to receive at least two more cruise ships, signaling strong recovery and growth in the local tourism sector.

Taste Atlas names Vietnam’s pickled scallion heads among world's best

Taste Atlas, a renowned culinary website, recently released its list of the 55 best pickled vegetables in the world, with Vietnam’s pickled scallion heads making the cut.

Vietnam’s representative ranked 19th on the list announced by Taste Atlas on February 19. The website describes it as a “traditional dish that may seem simple but requires a meticulous process to prepare - from selecting the right scallion heads, peeling, drying, and then bringing them in a mixture of salt, vinegar, and sugar before allowing them to ferment for five to seven days.”

This dish is a staple during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet), often accompanying banh chung (square sticky rice cake) and thit dong (jellied meat) in the North, or thit kho hot vit (braised pork with eggs) and banh tet (cylindrical sticky rice cake) in the South.

Photo: Cooky

Outside of Tet, pickled scallion heads are a popular side dish paired with roasted, braised, or fried meats, or simply enjoyed with steamed rice drizzled with fish sauce.

Founded in 2015, Taste Atlas is a global food mapping platform dedicated to cataloging traditional dishes from around the world.

According to Matija Babić, founder of Taste Atlas, the rankings for food and beverages are based on expert opinions and reviews from culinary critics to ensure the credibility of the list.

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