Visit generates new impetus for VN-NZ relations
VGP – PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc is paying an official visit to New Zealand from March 11-14. This is the first official visit of PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc to New Zealand since his inauguration.
He is accompanied by his spouse, and a Vietnamese high-ranking delegation.
Since the diplomatic ties was established in 1975, the bilateral ties between Viet Nam and New Zealand have flourished in different fields. The two countries set up comprehensive partnership.
In 2013, Viet Nam and New Zealand signed the action program in 2013-2016 on diplomatic partnership relations.
In 2015, they issued a joint declaration to cement and deepen the comprehensive partnership towards strategic partnership.
On the sidelines of the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit Week, Viet Nam and New Zealand signed the action program in 2017-2020.
Regarding diplomatic ties, New Zealand considers Viet Nam as an important factor in the Asia Pacific region. In economic aspect, New Zealand regards Viet Nam as a potential partner.
So far, Viet Nam is the 17th largest trade partner of New Zealand. Over the last five years, two-way trade turnover constantly went up 15-20%. Last year, the figure fetched over US$ 900 million of which Viet Nam exported over US$ 425 million and imported over US$ 401 million.
Viet Nam was the 19th largest exporter to New Zealand. So far, Viet Nam has six valid joint venture projects in New Zealand with a total registered capital of US$ 25.62 million on such areas as the processing and manufacturing industry, hotels, restaurants, and the agro-forestry-fishery sector.
Besides advantages from the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) which took place since January 2010, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) which was inked in Chile on March 8 is expected to cement and deepen the bilateral ties./.
By Kim Anh
