President Luong Cuong meets world leaders on APEC Summit sidelines

Meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Cuong affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to and hopes to promote the strategic partnership with New Zealand.

The two sides shared their delight at the effectively and extensively growing strategic partnership between Vietnam and New Zealand towards the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and the 5th anniversary of their strategic partnership in 2025.

They agreed to strengthen economic cooperation, aiming for a two-trade target of US$3 billion by 2026, with a larger goal set for the subsequent period.

Luxon for his part that the recent high-level exchanges and contacts have helped increase political trust and open up new cooperation opportunities. He proposed that the two sides expand cooperation into areas such as climate change response, green economy, digital economy, and high-tech agriculture.

Emphasising that Vietnam is a priority partner for New Zealand in the region, the leader suggested that the two countries actively coordinate to develop a roadmap for elevating their relationship to new heights in the near future.

Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, as well as the need to settle disputes through peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

At a meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Cuong congratulated Subianto on his election as President of Indonesia, showing his belief that with his reputation and extensive experience, the Indonesian leader will lead his country to successfully achieve its policy priorities, bringing prosperity and happiness to its people, and further improving Indonesia’s prestige and position in the international arena.

Subianto for his part emphasised that Indonesia always attaches importance to its cooperation and friendship with Vietnam – its sole strategic partner within ASEAN. He said he hopes to continue collaboration on measures to strengthen relations with Vietnam across areas.

Discussing future cooperation orientations, the leaders agreed to lift the bilateral relations to new heights, towards the celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Vietnam-Indonesia diplomatic ties, and 80 years of the National Day of both nations in 2025.

The Indonesian side agreed to expand economic cooperation, aiming to raise the two-way trade to US$18 billion. It also pledged to facilitate access for Vietnam's agricultural, aquatic, and Halal products to the Indonesian market, and expedite negotiations for signing a rice trading agreement between the two countries.

Indonesia also acknowledged Vietnam's efforts to minimise illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. It agreed to explore innovative measures to promote fisheries cooperation based on mutual benefit and the friendship between the two nations.

Exchanging views on regional and international issues of common concern, the two leaders agreed to maintain close coordination and to support each other at regional and international forums and organisations, including ASEAN, the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Regarding the East Sea-related issues, the two sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea; resolving disputes through peaceful measures; and promoting substantive and effective negotiations on a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982.

Meeting with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China) John Lee Ka-chiu, Cuong hailed the outcomes of Lee's first official visit to Vietnam in August, and welcomed Lee’s efforts to take practical measures to facilitate cooperation between the two sides in various fields, including people-to-people exchanges.

He affirmed that Vietnam consistently considers the development of the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive, strategic cooperative partnership with China as a strategic choice and a top priority in its foreign policy.

Vietnam respects and supports the "One Country, Two Systems" policy, the Basic Law, and related regulations of Hong Kong, and supports Hong Kong’s prosperous development, he stated.

Lee reaffirmed that the administration of Hong Kong values the development of a substantive and mutually beneficial relationship with Vietnam.

Noting that Vietnam is Hong Kong’s second largest trade partner in ASEAN, the Hong Kong leader expressed confidence that there is plenty of room for the two sides to further bolster their economic and trade cooperation.

The two sides agreed to encourage relevant agencies, ministries, sectors, and localities to work closely together to implement the shared perceptions between top leaders of Vietnam and China, while increasing exchanges and visits at all levels, establishing frameworks for cooperation, and expanding and improving the quality and efficiency of economic, trade, investment, and financial cooperation, promoting strategic connectivity, and encouraging Hong Kong businesses to invest in large-scale infrastructure, innovation, digital economy, green economy, circular economy, and energy transition.

They also agreed to strengthen coordination in citizen protection, judicial matters, and law enforcement, and to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Hong Kong. They will actively expand cooperation in culture, education, labour, and tourism, and foster coordination in multilateral economic cooperation frameworks of which both are members.