Hanoi (VNA) – New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's offici๊al visit to Vietnam and participation in the ASEAN Future Forum from February 25-28 will mark a significant milestone which is expecꦓted to pave the way for the two countries to elevate their ties, said Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Trung said the visit holds special significance as the two nation are marking the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and five years of strategic partnership.

The visit comes at a crucial time when Vietnam-New Zealand cooperation is flourishing, backed by frequent high-level exchanges and various cooperation mechanisms and agreements. It offers an important opportunity for the two sides to look back on their friendship and strategic partnership so as to shape up future strategy for the relations, he noted.

He went on to say that the visit marks Prime Minister Luxon's first diplomatic mission to Vietnam since becoming the leader of New Zealand's coalition government, reflecting his administration's new foreign policy which prioritises strengthening relations with ASEAN and Southeast Asian countries in particularly, including Vietnam – one of its key partners. Additionally, the visit provides an opportunity for both nations' leaders to discuss major global and regional issues amid significant geopolitical and economic chang💮es in the Asia-Paci𒅌fic region.

During his visit, Prime Minister Luxon will hold official talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, meet with high-ranking Party, State, and National Assembly leaders, as well as visit economic, cultural, and educational institutions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. His participation and speech at the ASEAN Future Forum underscores New Zealand's commitment to ASEAN, particularly as Vietnam is currently the coordinator for the ASEAN-New Zealand relations and when ASEAN and New Zealand celebrate the 50th anniversary of their strategic partnership this year. The visit's economic focus is evident via the large business delegation accompanying Prime Minister Luxon, comprising leading economic groups. Several cooperation agreements in the areas of education - training, trade, aviation, environmental protection, and climate change are expected to be signed during the visit, the ambassador said. Trung noted that bilateral cooperation has advanced significantly since the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2020. With a solid foundation of cooperation and friendship over the past 50 years, the bilateral ties are entering a new period with multiple new collaboration opportunities.

Prime Minister Chinh's visit to New Zealand in March 2024 marked a significant milestone, with both sides committing to increasing two-way trade to 3 billion USD by 2026, he said. Emphasising the complementary nature of the two economies, particularly in strategic sectors vital for their future development, the ambassador added that their membership in various regional free trade agreements will create further opportunities for enhanced trade, economic, and investment cooperation.

Traditional cooperation in education has flourished, with an increasing number of Vietnamese students choosing New Zealand for higher education, he stated, adding the relationship is expanding into new areas such as renewable energy, environmental protection, and high-tech and sustainable agriculture.

According to the diplomat, New Zealand could support Vietnam in carbon emission reduction technologies and solutions, while both countries are exploring cooperation in green economy, digital economy, knowledge economy, circular economy, and energy transition.

In the international arena, both countries have shared common perspectives on regional and international matters, particularly in promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development in the Indo-Pacific region, he stated.

In conclusion, Trung underscored that by consolidating strategic political trust, creating breakthroughs in economic and trade cooperation, and transcending collaboration to new areas, Vietnam and New Zealand will capitalise on their potenti🥂al towards a prosperous future./.