She stated this at a meeting in Wellington on June 17 to mark the 35^th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-New Zealand diplomatic ties (June 19, 1975 – June 19, 2010).

She confirmed that the relationship between both countries was strengthened after Vietnamese Party leader Nong Duc Manh’s visit to New Zealand in 2009.

Many New Zealand businesses are keen to invest in Vietnam, especially after the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement takes effect, she said.

Ms Wilkinson also highlighted the potential for both countries to cooperate, particularly in the fields of tourism, education and science.

The Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand, Vuong Hai Nam, said that since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties 35 years ago, the areas of cooperation between the two countries has included science and technology, natural resources, the environment, national defence, customs and labour. The turnover of two-way trade has now reached about US$500 million each year.

A large number of New Zealand tourists like to come to Vietnam, while thousands of Vietnamese students prefer to study in New Zealand, he noted.

Ambassador Nam underlined that as an ASEAN Chair in 2010, Vietnam will help New Zealand to participate in the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled to be held in Hanoi at the end of this year.

He added that any agreements reached during the forthcoming visit to Vietnam by New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully would create a firm foundation for both countries to boost cooperation in the 2010-2013 period.