Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam - New Zealand relations have advanced significantly over recent decades, culminating in the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in February 2025.
The two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. This half-century journey has produced numerous achievements across multiple areas of cooperation, reflecting the two nations’ confidence in the future of their partnership and their shared determination to deepen cooperation in a new era.
Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Phan Minh Giang said both sides have maintained high-level visits and exchanges across various channels to strengthen bilateral ties, underpinned by solid political trust and increasingly reinforced strategic confidence. This includes Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha’s visit to New Zealand from November 19–21 at the invitation of the New Zealand Government.
He stressed that Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening ties with New Zealand, one of its key Comprehensive Strategic Partners in the region.
According to the ambassador, the past 50 years have seen steady progress in bilateral relations, yielding many important results. However, significant potential remains untapped, with numerous areas offering substantial opportunities for further cooperation. The decision to elevate relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has opened a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.
He noted that both sides are working urgently to finalise and sign an action programme to concretise the key contents of the partnership framework, helping to unlock and harness the strengths and complementarities of the two countries. To this end, Vietnam and New Zealand should continue deepening traditional areas of cooperation, improving the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms, and increasing high-level visits and exchanges across all channels.
Alongside political cooperation, the ambassador underscored the need to promote practical defence and security cooperation, while more closely connecting the two highly complementary economies.
As active members of several major regional free trade agreements, Vietnam and New Zealand should further expand trade and investment ties, working towards the goal of 3 billion USD in two-way trade by 2026. Education, training and high-quality human resource development should also remain a key pillar of cooperation.
Giang added that the two countries need to expand cooperation into high-potential fields, notably science and technology and climate change response - now emerging pillars of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. With strong commitments to climate action, Vietnam and New Zealand should step up cooperation in digital transformation, environmental protection, emission reduction, green transition, high-tech agriculture, renewable energy and the carbon market, in line with each country’s needs and strengths.
He expressed confidence that expanding direct air links between the two countries would further bolster economic, trade, investment, cultural, educational, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, bringing the two nations even closer.
In the context of profound global and regional changes, the ambassador stressed the importance of strengthened coordination and mutual support in multilateral forums, including ASEAN-led mechanisms, the United Nations and other platforms.
He also highlighted the meaningful contributions of the Vietnamese community in New Zealand, describing them as an indispensable bridge that preserves and promotes Vietnamese cultural identity while fostering friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between the people of both countries. Many overseas Vietnamese including professionals, scholars, experts and businesspeople are eager to contribute to Vietnam’s development and actively engage in community and cultural activities.
Giang said he hopes the upcoming meeting between Deputy PM Ha and the Vietnamese community will provide an opportunity for overseas Vietnamese to share their sentiments, aspirations and valuable recommendations for Vietnam’s development. He affirmed that the community will continue serving as a vital link in promoting Vietnamese goods, brands, culture and traditions to friends in New Zealand and worldwide, contributing to the shared aspiration of building a strong, prosperous and happy nation./.
