Wellington (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhjoined New Zealand businesses in a seminar in Wellington on March 11 to learnabout investment cooperation potential and demand between the two countries.

The event, part of his official visit to New Zealand, washeld by the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment, the VietnameseEmbassy in New Zealand, and the ASEAN - New Zealand Business Council (ANZBC).

Local businesses expressed their interest in Vietnam’s investmentattraction policy, particularly in infrastructure development.

They also presented their cooperation demand and capacity in thefields of education - training, science - technology, food import, training andsupply of nurses caring for the elderly, climate change fight, greentransportation, carbon emission reduction, energy transition, and sustainableagriculture.

Talkingto New Zealand businesses, PM Chinh said that after nearly 50 years, the twocountries’ relations have made great strides in multiple spheres, but there remainshuge room for cooperation, including in economy, trade, and investment.

Heperceived that the biggest obstacle to bilateral ties now is the geographical distance,which should be addressed by opening direct air routes, boosting e-commerce,and developing new means of connection.

The visiting leader suggested the Government, associations, andbusinesses of New Zealand further promote economic, trade, and investment partnershipswith Vietnam. He also asked for market opening to maximise bilateral tradeagreements, cooperation frameworks, and new-generation free trade deals such asthe Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP),the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the ASEAN - Australia -New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA),and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), to which bothcountries are parties.

Besides, he called for facilitating the access of goods to each other’s markets and considering the removal of non-tariffbarriers to Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural and aquatic products.

PM Chinh recommended the New Zealand side improve theefficiency of the Inter-governmental Committee and the mechanisms of dialogue betweenthe two countries’ governments and business communities, while stepping upconnectivity with Vietnamese firms. Meanwhile, the ANZBC should further bringinto play its role as a bridge linking the countries’ governments and businesscircles.

Affirming Vietnam’s foreign investment attraction policy of prioritisingquality, effective, and sustainable investments applying science - technology andfriendly to the environment, he asked New Zealand businesses to boostinvestment ties with Vietnam through programmes and projects in such sectors asgreen economy, digital economy, circular economy, knowledge-based economy,science - technology, innovation, electronics, electric vehicle, semiconductor,new energy, essential minerals, green finance, biotechnology, health care,high-tech agriculture, and training of high-quality human resources.

There are about 15,000Vietnamese people in New Zealand, and many work on trade and investment. Giventhis, the PM suggested the New Zealand side continue supporting and facilitating Vietnamese companies to operate fruitfully in the country sothat they can further engage in global supply and production chains.

He expressed his hope that economic, investment, and tradecooperation will remain an important pillar of bilateral relations and animpulse for the two countries to surmount difficulties and challenges todevelop further.

In the spirit of “interests harmonised, risks shared”,Vietnam always protects the rights and legitimate interests of businesses, PMChinh stated, pledging support and the best possible conditions for foreignfirms, including those from New Zealand, to invest and do business effectivelyand sustainably in the Southeast Asian nation./.