New Zealand Prime Minister: Vietnam is a rising star in Southeast Asia

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will pay an official visit to Vietnam and attend the second ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) from February 25 to 28.

This is Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's first visit to Vietnam since taking office in November 2023. New Zealand's foreign policy under his leadership is shaped by a "reset" approach to international relations, with Southeast Asia being a top priority, second only to Australia and its South Pacific island neighbors.

The New Zealand Times reported on February 21, quoting Prime Minister Christopher Luxon: “Vietnam is a rising star in Southeast Asia, one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.”

This year, our two countries are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations. My visit will further strengthen our relationship, consolidate existing trade, and open up more opportunities for New Zealand businesses to increase revenue and create jobs back home."

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during a meeting in Wellington in March 2024. (Photo: VNA)

Speaking to the press ahead of the visit, New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Caroline Beresford said that many bilateral agreements would be signed during the visit.

She affirmed that the visit of the Prime Minister of Luxon and a large business delegation was not only significant in commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (June 19, 1975 - June 19, 2025) but also aimed to strengthen and expand relations with an important partner like Vietnam.

"If we consider a relationship as a piece of fabric, then the structure of the relationship is like the interwoven threads, making the fabric stronger. Therefore, in a way, the Prime Minister's visit to Vietnam aims to further strengthen those threads, so that in the context of the current unstable international environment, the relationship between the two countries remains solid," the Ambassador shared.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's trip is expected to open up new business opportunities, with businesses in the accompanying trade delegation signing cooperation agreements with partners in Vietnam, particularly in the fields of education, food, and beverages.

“Our Prime Minister has a very ambitious agenda for New Zealand regarding its relationship with Southeast Asia. His government has acted swiftly to reset our foreign policy and as part of that agenda, we have identified Vietnam as one of our most important partners in the region and globally,” Ambassador Caroline Beresford said.

In today's global context, it is entirely logical for countries like Vietnam and New Zealand – both committed to peace, security, stability, and prosperity for their people – to cooperate more closely to protect the foundations they have laid over the years. Therefore, Caroline Beresford believes that upgrading Vietnam-New Zealand relations is a completely correct step.

Ambassador Caroline Beresford shared that she has worked in foreign affairs for 25 years and has served in five countries, including the United States, but she has never seen a policy development approach as academic, rigorous, and systematic as that in Vietnam. This is extremely impressive, and the Ambassador believes that both the region and the world can learn from Vietnam's policy-making methods.

"New Zealand also has ambitious economic growth plans, but from a much smaller base than Vietnam. And when the New Zealand Prime Minister visits Vietnam next week, I will tell him that if he comes back here in five years, he probably won't recognize Vietnam anymore. This is truly an inspiring country, with a pace of development that amazes the whole world," the Ambassador added.

Ms. Caroline Beresford expressed New Zealand's desire to contribute to Vietnam's development story as a trusted partner and a sincere friend. While New Zealand's contributions to Vietnam's development have been modest, it has built a solid foundation of strategic trust. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's visit aims to further strengthen that trust, demonstrate respect for Vietnam, express gratitude for Vietnam's leadership, and reaffirm New Zealand's serious commitment to developing the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand, Nguyen Van Trung, assessed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's visit to Vietnam as having historical significance, contributing to realizing the expectations of the people of both countries in the new era.

During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to New Zealand in March 2024, both sides affirmed their political determination and commitment to creating further breakthroughs to achieve the target of $3 billion in bilateral trade by 2026.

According to Ambassador Nguyen Van Trung, Vietnam and New Zealand have economic strengths that can complement each other, especially in areas of strategic importance to the future of both countries. Both countries are also members of many important free trade agreements in the region, creating opportunities to leverage advantages in trade, economic cooperation, and investment.

Education and training is one of the traditional areas of cooperation that has yielded practical results between the two countries. More and more Vietnamese students are choosing New Zealand as their study destination thanks to its high-quality education and attractive scholarship programs. New Zealand is also helping Vietnam train experts, senior managers, specialized scientific researchers, and skilled workers.

With a strong commitment to addressing climate change, the two countries are strengthening cooperation in new areas such as renewable energy development, environmental protection, and high-tech and sustainable agriculture. New Zealand can support Vietnam in improving technology and solutions to reduce carbon emissions. Both sides are expanding cooperation into new areas such as the green economy, digital economy, knowledge economy, circular economy, and energy transition, fulfilling their climate change commitments.

On the international stage, Vietnam and New Zealand share many common views and interests in the region, and increasingly find common ground for cooperation and mutual support on regional and international issues, especially in promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development in the Indo-Pacific region. The two countries have ample room to expand cooperation, not only for economic and trade benefits but also for strategic interests.

Ambassador Nguyen Van Trung stated: With a solid foundation of friendly relations between the two nations, the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and New Zealand has strong prospects for development in the coming years. Continuing to strengthen strategic political trust, creating breakthroughs in economic and trade cooperation, innovating educational cooperation, and expanding cooperation into new areas promises that the two countries will maximize their cooperation potential and work together towards a prosperous future.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/thu-tuong-new-zealand-viet-nam-la-ngoi-sao-dang-len-o-dong-nam-a-210361.html