NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (R) meets with New Zealand Ambassador Tredene Cherie Dobson in Hanoi on June 14. (Photo: VNA) Dobson said in the first year of herterm in Vietnam, difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were unable toimpede the two countries’ cooperation, and both have managed to overcome thepandemic, worked with each other in health care, economy, and people-to-peopleexchange, and cooperated closely in the region.
She perceived that after the pandemic,the countries boast many strong areas to enhance cooperation in, with economyand trade being the top priorities, so as to help boost prosperity.
Highly valuing New Zealand’s effortsto control COVID-19, Hue expressed his delight at the progress in bilateralrelations, noting that despite the complex pandemic situation, they have stillmaintained high-level meetings, tighten economic, trade and investment links,and recorded year-on-year growth in trade revenue.
Vietnam always attaches importance tothe strategic partnership with New Zealand, he affirmed.
The top legislator also thanked the NewZealand Government for providing official development assistance (ODA) forVietnam to realise the sustainable development goals, with a focus on thefields matching New Zealand’s strength and Vietnam’s demand such asagriculture, rural development, human resources training, natural disaster and climatechange management and response, and poverty reduction.
He asked New Zealand to soon finaliseprocedures for opening its market to Vietnam’s specialty fruits and boost theimport of agro-forestry-fishery products from Vietnam so as to raise bilateraltrade to 2 billion USD by 2024.
The NA leader also encouraged NewZealand businesses to invest in Vietnam, especially in the agro-fishery processingindustry.
At the meeting, Ambassador Dobsonspoke highly of the Vietnamese NA’s role in promoting economic and tradedevelopment by ratifying free trade agreements.
New Zealand supports Vietnam’scommitments made at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26),and it is ready to strengthen cooperation in climate change response andmethane emission control in agriculture, she went on.
Dobson added it also wishes tocoordinate with the Vietnamese NA to share experience in digital economicdevelopment and digital transformation which need policies and laws forovercoming challenges.
Highlighting the successful partnershipin commercialising three high-value dragon fruit varieties in 2021, she saidagriculture is a pillar in bilateral cooperation.
New Zealand will carry out a similarproject on passion fruit - another high-value produce of Vietnam and is willingto strengthen ties in high-tech farming.
Discussing international and regionalissues of common concern, including the East Sea issue, the two sidesunderscored the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight in thewaters, along with the compliance with international law, including the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.
VNA
