New Zealand PM concludes Vietnam visit

Hanoi (VNA) - New Zealand Prime Minister John Phillip Key left Hanoi on November 17, concluding his four-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of his counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung.

During his stay, the New Zealand leader held talks with PM Nguyen Tan Dung and paid courtesy calls to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

He also attended a number of events involving businesses of both countries in aviation and education.

The two sides issued the Vietnam-New Zealand Joint Statement reaffirming the importance of fostering win-win cooperation in prioritised sectors mentioned in the 2013-2016 action plan realising the bilateral comprehensive partnership, including agriculture and agricultural trade, education, aviation, tourism, clean technology, and the management of environment and natural disaster risks.

The two countries also committed to supporting and encouraging their enterprises to seek new partnership opportunities in the framework of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Australia-New Zealand-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, aiming to maintain two-way trade growth towards the target of 1.7 billion USD in 2020.

PM Key announced a number of initiatives, including a five-year clean vegetable growing project worth 5.6 million USD, the strengthening of support in knowledge and technology through the provision of scholarships and short-term courses and English training for Vietnamese officials, and the second phase of the dyke safety project.

Both sides underscored the significance of maintaining peace and stability in the region as well ensuring maritime security and safety in the East Sea and abiding by international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They called on parties to exercise restraint and avoid actions escalating tension in the region, while stressing that all parties should fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and shortly complete the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

A number of documents, including cooperation deals on civil aviation, education and health care, were signed during the visit.

The two PMs condemned the recent Paris attack and sent condolences to French people.

During his stay in Hanoi, PM Key also laid a wreath at the Heroic Martyrs’ Monument and paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum.-VNA