Wellington (VNA) – Pham Thi Ngoc Lan, the first Vietnamese-origin lawmaker in the New Zealand Parliament, said she is proud to represent the Vietnamese community in New Zealand in the legislative body as it demonstrates how the Vietnamese community can contribute to this Oceanian nation’s development.
In a recent interview with Vietnam News Agency, Lan, whose father is Vietnamese and mother New Zealander, said the Vietnamese community in NZ is always proud of their culture and strives to preserve and maintain the use of Vietnamese language, especially among young people.
She has had the opportunity to come to Vietnam twice, where she witnessed the breathtaking natural landscapes and experienced the unique cultural identities of the country.
As a Vietnamese-origin lawmaker in the 54th NZ Parliament, she said she hopes to contribute to strengthening the Vietnam–New Zealand relationship.
Lan was elected to the parliament in October 2023. Earlier, she pursued a career in science and was known for her active involvement in environmental protection. She said she will strive to contribute to initiatives related to environmental protection and climate change adaptation.
Regarding the relationship between Vietnam and New Zealand, Lan stated that the two countries share a strong, solid, and truly positive relationship at all levels, whether institutional, governmental, or even community levels. This relationship has been sustained for a long time and will grow stronger in the future.
She cited the visit by Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh to New Zealand in March, as well as the on-going visit of NA Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh to the country as the clearest evidence of how important the relationship between New Zealand and Vietnam is.
Lan vowed to do her utmost to contribute to deepening the Vietnam–New Zealand relationship, expressing her belief that the bilateral relations will continue to fruitfully develop in the future./.
