Hanoi (VNA) 𒈔– New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon left Ho Chi Minh City on February 28 evening, concluding his three-day successful official visit to Vietnam, where he also attended the second ASEAN Future Forum, at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

At the ASEAN Future Forum, PM Luxon delivered a speech and engaged in discussions within the high-level plenary session. In his remarks, the leader expressed his honour to attend the forum, viewing it as a timely and important event for ASEAN-New Zealand relations. This is the opportunity to address challenges that the world and the Indo- Pacific are facing, he said, highlighting the importance of ASEAN to New Zealand. While in Vietnam, PM Luxon paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs in Hanoi. PM Luxon had meetings with Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man. PM Chinh hosted an official welcome ceremony and held talks with his New Zealand counterpart. They witnessed the signing and exchange of cooperation documents between the two countries. The Vietnamese leader also hosted a banquet for PM Luxon. At the meetings and talks, the two sides held that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975 and the Strategic Partnership in 2020, Vietnam and New Zealand have shared a common vision for a stable and prosperous region. Their relationship has grown strongly and been strengthened, both bilaterally and within sub-regional, regional, and multilateral frameworks. Based on their good relationship, common interests, and mutual trust, the two countries’ leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. During his stay, Luxon and Chinh visited the Temple of Literature and enjoyed folk arts. Luxon also visited and met with students at Foreign Trade University where he announced the New Zealand government's scholarship programme for Vietnamese students in 2025. In HCM City, PM Luxon met with Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc. Luxon's official visit came as Vietnam and New Zealand celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1975 - 2025). Its outcomes demonstrate significant development of bilateral ties and profound strategic trust between the two nations, creating a solid framework to bring bilateral relations to a new phase./.