PM Pham Minh Chinh meets overseas Vietnamese in New Zealand

Ambassador Nguyen Van Trung reported that currently more than 10,000 Vietnamese nationals are living, working and studying in NZ, who have over the years integrated well into the host community, turned their hearts to the fatherland and cultivated Vietnam – New Zealand relations.

Many of them have been successful in fields such as business and scientific research, and some are even become MPs of the country.

Representatives of Vietnamese expatriates expressed their pride of Vietnam’s increasing role and position in the international arena. They thanked the Party and State for giving special care about Vietnamese expatriates globally, by introducing preferential policies on land, housing, and business to support their operations back in the fatherland.

They also proposed that the two governments accelerate negotiations of new agreements, making it easier for Vietnamese products to make inroads into the NZ market. They particularly expected that relevant agencies would boost trade, tourism and aviation promotions in NZ; improve the quality of products to meet NZ requirements and standards; and have a human resource training programme that meets the requirements of the NZ laborr market.  

They also proposed that the Governments of the two countries negotiate to relax visa policies, creating more favourable conditions for their citizens to increase exchanges, especially for Vietnamese students to study in New Zealand, while soon recognizing each other’s certificates.

For his part, PM Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the community for significant contributions to their host country and the fatherland, and reaffirmed that the Party and State consider Vietnamese expatriates abroad, including those in New Zealand, an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation.

He briefed them on Vietnam’s recent development achievements and Vietnam-New Zealand relations, saying bilateral relations have developed positively since their establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975. Vietnam is New Zealand’s 14th largest trading partner, with two-way trade turnover last year reaching US$1.3 billion. NZ now ranks 39th out of 143 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

The PM proposed that the Vietnamese community in New Zealand uphold the spirit of unity and mutual assistance, actively integrate into the local community, act as the bridge between the two countries, and preserve and promote national cultural identity as well as Vietnamese language.

On this occasion, the PM thanked the government and people of New Zealand for supporting Vietnam and Vietnamese expatriates in particular.

With regards to their proposals, he said he would direct relevant ministries and agencies to consider and address their concerns. He would also request New Zealand to recognize the Vietnamese community as an ethnic group during his coming talks and meetings with his host leaders.