President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and New Zealand Ambassador Tredene Dobson. (Photo: VNA) New Zealand has become an important economic partnerof Vietnam, he said, adding that two-way trade has continuously expanded over thepast years.
President Phuc urged the ambassador to join efforts to promote the exchange of all-leveldelegations between the two countries, carry out meetings both online and in-person, reachan action programme to deploy the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnershipthis year, and facilitate the travel of people as well as trade and investmentties.
Vietnam always creates optimal conditions for New Zealandbusinesses to invest in the Southeast Asian nation, he promised.
The President said the two sides should enhanceconnection between high schools and universities, and cooperation invocational training, continue with scholarship schemes, recover tourismcollaboration, and step up people-to-people exchange.
He used this occasion to thank New Zealand for donating30,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam.
Vietnam highly evaluated New Zealand’s leadership in APEC Year2021 when the world faces unprecedented challenges, he said, stressing thatVietnam supports the draft Declaration of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting,and the plan to implement the APEC Vision until 2040.
Vietnam will cooperate with New Zealand to ensure thesuccess of this year’s APEC events, President Phuc pledged.
For her part, Dobson said many New Zealand people areinterested in Ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress), and expressed her wish forstronger cultural exchange between the two countries.
She recalled the announcement by then PM Phuc and New Zealand PM JacindaArdern of upgrading Vietnam-New Zealand relations to astrategic partnership in July 2020, marking the 45th founding anniversary oftheir diplomatic ties.
The ambassador said she is trying her best to promotethe bilateral relationship, making it match cooperation potential of the two countries.
On this occasion, President Phuc asked the ambassadorto convey his invitation to PM Ardern to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time./.
VNA
