Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam and New Zealand have pledged to enhancecooperation within the framework of free trade agreements (FTAs) as well asoffer mutual support at multilateral forums such as the WTO and APEC.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien andNew Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor made the pledgeduring recent phone talks on the sidelines of the 27th APECMinisters Responsible for Trade (MRT) Meeting.
They noted that as Vietnam and New Zealand are activemembers of new FTAs such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement forTrans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (RCEP), the two need to step up their strategic partnership, whichwas founded on July 22, 2020, and the bilateral agriculture cooperationagreement signed on February 24, 2021.
Dien hailed New Zealand’s efforts to host APECmeetings via videoconference this year and believes that practical achievementswill be made during APEC Year 2021.
He said APEC member states should strive to issue ajoint statement at the MRT 27, which should convey a strong political message aboutstrengthening international solidarity and upholding its leading role inregional economic connectivity, maintaining regional cooperation and links.
The statement should also affirm flexibility and adaptabilityin the new situation, contributing to joint efforts to cope with COVID-19 andgradually recover economies.
The two ministers also touched on important APEC initiativesthis year, especially the Plan of Action to realise the APEC Vision 2040, the tradeministers’ statement on facilitating the circulation of necessities, and severalnew initiatives regarding green, sustainable, and inclusive growth.
O’Connor, for his part, shared his impressions of Vietnam’seconomic development over past years and hoped that the country would activelyjoin in discussions at MRT 27 about APEC 2021’s priority initiatives, especiallyamid the global pandemic.
Concluding the phone talks, both sides agreed todirect relevant units to improve joint work to achieve the goals set in the bilateraleconomic-trade cooperation strategy./.
