Connecting Vietnam - New Zealand trade

Photo caption — Ms. Liz Bell, CEO of ASEAN - New Zealand Business Council, speaks at the conference on promoting trade, investment and connecting businesses between Vietnam and New Zealand. Photo: Phan Phuong/VNA

Sharing with reporters of the Vietnam News Agency, Ms. Liz Bell, CEO of ANZBC, highly appreciated the potential for cooperation between the business communities of the two countries, especially in the context of 2025 marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and 5 years of the Vietnam - New Zealand Strategic Partnership.

According to Ms. Bell, strong bilateral relations are an important foundation to encourage businesses from both sides to expand cooperation. “When leaders of both countries work effectively, businesses also feel more confident to seek cooperation opportunities,” Ms. Bell shared.

During this working trip, the New Zealand delegation included more than 20 businesses operating in a variety of industries, such as food and beverage, technology, education, infrastructure, investment and healthcare products. Notably, the high-tech agricultural (agritech) businesses participating in the delegation wanted to introduce new technological solutions for the food processing and production industry in Vietnam - an area that Ms. Bell assessed as having great potential for cooperation.

This is considered New Zealand's largest direct trade promotion trip to Vietnam in the past 5 years, demonstrating the growing interest of New Zealand businesses in the Vietnamese market, which is a dynamic manufacturing and logistics center of the Southeast Asian region.

Ms. Bell said that the highlight of the delegation was not only to seek opportunities to export products to Vietnam, but also to aim to build a two-way partnership, jointly developing solutions suitable to the needs of the Vietnamese market.

“We bring new technologies and products, but more importantly, we are looking for Vietnamese partners who are willing to cooperate long-term, creating sustainable value together. For example, New Zealand agritech businesses want to share technology to help Vietnam improve productivity and quality of agricultural products, moving towards smart and environmentally friendly agriculture,” said Ms. Bell.

In addition to agriculture, education and green technology are also considered two potential pillars of cooperation. New Zealand is famous for its practical training model, linked to business needs, while Vietnam has a young, dynamic workforce and is looking for opportunities to improve skills in the international environment. Ms. Bell said that the two sides can coordinate human resource training in the fields of technology, engineering and modern agriculture, aiming to develop a sustainable value chain in the region.

A highlight of the ANZBC’s visit was attending the 2025 Autumn Fair in Hanoi. “Our delegates were truly amazed by the scale and diversity of the products on display at the fair. Many in the delegation shared that they had a great experience exploring the potential for cooperation with Vietnamese partners in many different fields,” said Ms. Bell.

Ms. Bell also appreciated the business-to-business (B2B) networking sessions organized by the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, helping New Zealand businesses approach the right potential partners, better understand consumer tastes and import regulations in Vietnam.

According to her, such direct meetings not only help businesses from both sides build trust, but are also the first step towards specific cooperation agreements in the near future.

Ms. Bell also said that the delegation had an effective working session with Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan, discussing the process of opening the market for New Zealand's Manuka honey products.

“This is very useful information for New Zealand businesses, helping them better understand the process of accessing the Vietnamese market,” said Ms. Bell, affirming: “When returning, the businesses in the delegation will certainly have many follow-up activities, monitoring and developing the established relationships in Vietnam, towards specific cooperation agreements in the coming time.”

Vietnam is currently one of the most dynamically developing economies in Asia-Pacific, with an average GDP growth of 6-7% per year in the 2016-2024 period.

With a population of over 100 million, 60% of whom are of working age, Vietnam has a large consumer market and a young and highly skilled workforce. Its strategic location in the global supply chain, as a transit point between East Asia and ASEAN, makes Vietnam an ideal choice for New Zealand investors.

According to the Vietnam Customs Department, in the first 9 months of 2025, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and New Zealand reached more than 1.1 billion USD; of which Vietnam exported 528 million USD and imported 587 million USD.

Vietnam’s key products include phones, computers, textiles, and footwear, while New Zealand has strengths in agricultural products, dairy products, and food processing technology. Experts say the natural complementarity between the two economies is the key to sustainable development of Vietnam-New Zealand trade cooperation.

Ms Bell stressed that the natural complementarity between the two economies will create a sustainable and long-term strategic cooperation chain. According to her, ANZBC will continue to act as a “trusted bridge” between the two countries’ business communities, promoting cooperation not only in traditional trade, but also in new areas such as green transformation, high-tech agriculture and human skills development.

“The 2025 business trip is not only an opportunity for trade connections, but also the beginning of long-term cooperation programs between businesses of the two countries,” Ms. Bell affirmed.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/ket-noi-giao-thuong-viet-nam-new-zealand-20251102101526219.htm