Auckland (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President of Vietnam To Lam met with Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Gerry Brownlee in Auckland on August 13.
Brownlee welcomed the state visit by the Vietnamese leader and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, stressing that it will further deepen the Vietnam–New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across various fields, ushering bilateral ties into a new, more profound, substantive and effective phase.
The New Zealand House Speaker congratulated Vietnam on the success of the 16th National Assembly election and spoke highly of the country’s socio-economic achievements, institutional reforms, scientific and technological development, innovation and international integration. He affirmed that New Zealand supports and stands ready to assist Vietnam during its hosting of APEC 2027.
Sharing his strong impression of Vietnam’s dynamism and creativity during his 2025 visit to the country, Brownlee said bilateral ties were reflected not only in trade, education and training but also in the two countries’ shared views on many regional and international issues. He expressed his hope that New Zealand will remain a destination for Vietnamese young people to study and work, while calling for stronger bilateral cooperation in all areas, including defence and security, trade, investment, people-to-people exchanges, and the early establishment of direct air links between the two countries.
For his part, General Secretary and President Lam expressed his pleasure at making his first visit to the beautiful country of New Zealand and meeting Brownlee again in his new capacity. He spoke highly of the country’s valuable support and companionship as a close friend and one of Vietnam’s important partners in the region.
The two leaders shared the view that amid rapid and complex global developments and the need for accelerated development in both countries, there is every reason for the two sides to actively cooperate in addressing issues that could affect bilateral relations. The top Vietnamese leader said cooperation between the two countries is natural, stemming from the interests and development needs of their peoples, as well as their shared responsibility for peace and stability in the region and the world.
General Secretary and President Lam spoke highly of the contributions made by the New Zealand Parliament to the country’s development and thanked it for its coordination in promoting parliamentary cooperation between the two countries. He conveyed National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man’s greetings and best wishes for good health to Brownlee.
He also expressed his pleasure at the presence of a Vietnamese-origin parliamentarian at the meeting, saying this not only contributed to parliamentary and bilateral relations but also vividly demonstrated the positive contributions of the Vietnamese community in New Zealand.
The leader expressed his satisfaction that bilateral relations had grown increasingly effective and substantive, particularly since the two countries elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1975-2025). He noted that parliamentary cooperation had made a highly positive contribution to the overall development of bilateral ties.
Against this backdrop, General Secretary and President Lam proposed that the two sides increase exchanges of delegations at all levels through Party, State, Government and parliamentary channels, particularly among specialised parliamentary bodies, to enhance mutual understanding, exchanges and the sharing of experience.
He called on the New Zealand Parliament to continue supporting the implementation of bilateral cooperation agreements and creating a favourable legal framework for cooperation in areas where Vietnam has demand and New Zealand has strengths, including smart, high-tech, clean and green agriculture. The two sides should promote joint cooperation, co-creation and co-production to serve markets and contribute to global development, he said.
The leader stressed that education, tourism, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges are important drivers of bilateral relations. He thanked New Zealand for supporting the training of Vietnamese students and officials in English and fields in which New Zealand has expertise.
Speaking highly of New Zealand’s education system, including its world-class research institutions and universities, he said New Zealand can support Vietnam in education reform and its efforts to make English a second language.
The two leaders also agreed on the need to soon establish a direct or most convenient air route between the two countries and facilitate visa procedures for entry into New Zealand.
General Secretary and President Lam asked the New Zealand Parliament to pay greater attention to and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese people living, studying and doing business in the country, thereby contributing to New Zealand’s socio-economic development and bilateral relations./.
