Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh begins New Zealand visit
VOV.VN - A high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived at Auckland airport on March 9 (local time), beginning an official visit to New Zealand at the invitation of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Chinh and his entourage were welcomed at the airport by Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Rod Harris, and New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Caroline Beresford.
Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung, Embassy officials and Vietnamese expatriates in New Zealand were also present at the airport.
Vietnam and New Zealand established diplomatic ties in 1975 and they both agreed to upgrade their ties to a strategic partnership in 2020.
The two countries maintain high-level visit exchanges. Vietnam is currently New Zealand’s 14th largest trading partner, with their two-way trade turnover last year hitting US$1.3 billion. By November 2023, New Zealand had 52 investment projects with a total capital of US$208.35 million, ranking 39th out of 143 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.
There are approximately 11,000 Vietnamese expatriates in New Zealand, mainly living in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
During the visit, Chinh is scheduled to meet and hold talks with senior leaders of New Zealand, attend meetings with leaders of New Zealand’s leading businesses, and visit local science-technology and education organizations. He will also meet the Vietnamese community in New Zealand.
The two sides will discuss measures to further promote bilateral cooperation in various areas, including trade, investment, labour, education - training, and agriculture.
