Vietnam attaches importance to relations with New Zealand
VOV.VN - Vietnam attaches importance to and wishes to enhance the strategic partnership with New Zealand, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue told NZ Ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Cherie Dobson in Hanoi on June 14.
Hue thanked the New Zealand Government for giving priority to ODA aid for Vietnam to realize its sustainable development goals, focusing on areas New Zealand has strengths and Vietnam has needs, such as agriculture, rural development, human resource development, disaster management and response, climate change adaptation and poverty reduction.
New Zealand has supported Vietnam with 30,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and NZD2 million for post-pandemic recovery, as well as making contributions to the COVID-19 fight in Southeast Asia.
Hue suggested that New Zealand facilitate the opening of its market for Vietnamese specialty fruits, agro-forestry and fisheries products, striving to bring two-way trade turnover to US$2 billion by 2024.
He also encouraged New Zealand businesses to actively explore and invest in Vietnam, especially in agricultural and aquatic product processing.
Ambassador Dobson voiced New Zealand’s support for Vietnam’s commitments at COP26 and affirmed New Zealand is willing to strengthen cooperation in responding to climate change and controlling methane emissions in agriculture with Vietnam.
In addition, she said New Zealand wishes to cooperate with the National Assembly of Vietnam to share experiences in lawmaking concerning the development of the digital economy and digital transformation.
The ambassador recalled the success in jointly carrying out a cooperation project to commercialize three high-value dragon fruit varieties in 2021, stressing that agriculture is the main pillar of bilateral cooperation.
New Zealand will continue to develop similar projects for high value fruits such as passion fruit, and it is ready to cooperate with Vietnam in high-tech agriculture, said the diplomat,
Both host and guest exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern. With regard to the East Sea issue, they emphasized the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight, in compliance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).
NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue conveyed his greetings and an invitation to visit Vietnam to the New Zealand Parliament Speaker.