Vietnam, New Zealand sign action plan to deploy strategic partnership

Hanoi (VNA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and his New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta on
December 8 signed a Vietnam - New Zealand Action Plan for the 2021-2024 period to deploy the bilateral strategic partnership.

Speaking at the virtual signing ceremony, Son said he believed that the plan will help further promote the strategic partnership between the two countries in all areas in the near future.

He expressed his delight at the fact that the two sides have maintained cooperation mechanisms in the fields of politics, defence, agriculture, and health in the past year amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vietnamese minister congratulated New Zealand on its successful hosting of the APEC Economic Leaders' Week, which helped the country improve its role and position in the international arena.

For her part, Mahuta emphasised that New Zealand attaches great importance to its strategic partnership with Vietnam and that it is ready to cooperate with the Southeast Asian nation in promoting economic recovery.

New Zealand wishes to further strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in the areas of trade - investment, education, digital economy and climate change, she said, noting that the two countries are striving to lift their two-way trade to 2 billion USD by 2024.

Regarding cooperation at regional and international forums, Mahuta thanked Vietnam for its strong support to New Zealand when the nation took over the role as the APEC Chair in 2021, stressing that New Zealand is one of ASEAN's earliest dialogue partners.

Son took the occasion to invite Mahuta to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time and the New Zealand minister accepted the invitation with pleasure./.