Vietnamese Prime Minister begins official visit to New Zealand
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam landed at Auckland Airport on March 9 evening (local time), starting an official visit to New Zealand from March 10-11 at the invitation of his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon.
PM Pham Minh Chinh (second, right) and his spouse (first, right) are welcomed at Auckland Airport of New Zealand. (Photo: VNA)
Auckland (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam landed at Auckland Airport on March 9 evening (local time), starting an official visit to New Zealand from March 10-11 at the invitation of his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon.
New Zealand officials welcoming the delegation at the airport included Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Rod Harris, and Ambassador Designate to Vietnam Caroline Beresford.
The delegation was also welcomed by Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung, staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy, and representatives of Vietnamese people in the country.
Over nearly 50 years of diplomatic ties, the two countries’ relations have been developing unceasingly and were upgraded to a strategic partnership in July 2020.
Vietnam is currently the 14th largest trading partner of New Zealand with bilateral trade reaching 1.3 billion USD in 2023. As of November 2023, New Zealand had 52 investment projects worth 208.35 million USD in Vietnam, ranking 39th among 143 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, statistics showed.
There are about 11,000 Vietnamese people in the South Pacific nation, mainly in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington.
During the visit, PM Chinh is scheduled to hold talks and meetings with senior leaders of New Zealand, attend meetings with heads of associations and leading businesses of the country, engage in working sessions with local scientific, technological, and educational institutions, and meet with the Vietnamese community here.
The two sides will discuss measures to further enhance bilateral cooperation, including such focal and traditional areas as trade, investment, labour, education - training, and agriculture./.
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Winston Peters have agreed to foster coordination between the two foreign ministries so as to strengthen cooperation between the two nations.
New Zealand Acting Ambassador to Vietnam Wendy Hinton has highlighted the significance of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse’s upcoming visit to New Zealand following his attendance at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne and his official visit to Australia.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to New Zealand on March 10 - 11 is expected to help further intensify the two countries’ political trust and multifaceted cooperation and develop bilateral relations more fruitfully.
Economic and trade ties between Vietnam and New Zealand have developed continuously since the upgrade of bilateral ties to strategic partnership in September 2009, and the upcoming visit to New Zealand by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is an occasion for leaders of both countries to discuss orientations to further consolidate political trust and multifaceted cooperation.
The coming official visit to New Zealand by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh holds special significance as it is an occasion for the two sides to further intensify bilateral cooperation and strategic partnership, said Vietnamese Ambassador to the South Pacific country Nguyen Van Trung.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed the proposals put forward by the US side and reiterated Vietnam’s request for consideration of key areas of interest, including reciprocal tariff policies and access for Vietnamese key export products to the US market.
Deputy PM Le Thanh Long proposed countries promote shared values, including building trust, sincerity, and solidarity among nations and peoples; fostering cooperation spirit and responsible behaviour as well as upholding international law and the UN Charter; and placing people at the centre and as the goal, the key player, and the driving force of all policies.
The show, together with a grand parade to be held silmutaneously at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day, and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).
In particular, in April 2023, the two sides successfully carried out a joint operation that dismantled a major organised, transnational drug trafficking ring involving both Vietnamese and Cambodian suspects.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel is closely coordinating with relevant local agencies to stay informed and provide the utmost support possible for Vietnamese nationals.
The launch of Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, even before the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is considered a testament to President Ho Chi Minh’s strategic foresight and strong belief in the guiding power of the revolutionary media.
New Zealand is currently one of Vietnam’s most important partners in the region, marked by a high level of political trust, strong and reliable defence and security cooperation, and increasingly open economic, trade, and investment ties.
Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that the Central Public Security Party Committee must be fully aware of the extremely important role of the People's Public Security force in the country's new revolutionary phase, so as to guide each branch and level of the force as the nation undergoes transformation.
Addressing concerns over university education spending, Son explained that as public universities gain greater autonomy, the Ministry of Finance has scaled back recurrent state funding. “Over the past decade, as autonomy has increased, the State's support has steadily declined”, he noted
Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane affirmed that the presence of Vietnamese press offices in Laos vividly demonstrates the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, as the press is not only a means of communication but also an important bridge for spreading consciousness about the history, values, and strategic depth of the Laos – Vietnam relationship to the people of both countries and the international community.
The country is willing to participate in collective efforts to promote cooperation and mobilise resources to advance the current priority issues of developing countries, such as trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, making the most of scientific and technological advances for development, and people-to-people exchanges, Hang said.
During the negotiations, the US highly evaluated Vietnam’s goodwill and efforts, affirmed its appreciation for the bilateral relationship, acknowledged Vietnam’s proposals and concerns, and considered these an important basis for continuing discussions and moving towards a final agreement.
The Chairman stressed the need for stricter fiscal discipline, faster digital transformation, and more efficient management of State budget revenues and expenditures.
The ministry has instructed Vietnamese representative agencies in Israel, Iran, as well as those in neighbouring countries, to closely monitor the situation and request local authorities to ensure absolute safety for Vietnamese citizens living, studying, and working in high-risk areas.
Senior Vietnamese leaders on June 19 sent letters of congratulations to New Zealand leaders on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam – New Zealand diplomatic relations (June 19, 1975 – 2025).
The Party chief attributed the achievements in the first half to the continuous, direct, and comprehensive leadership of the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, and the close and effective coordination of relevant ministries, sectors and localities.
General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the VPA’s General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defence reaffirmed Vietnam’s unwavering gratitude for Cuba’s invaluable support during its struggle for independence and nation-building efforts, and pledged to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Cuba as it navigates current challenges.
PM Pham Minh Chinh (second, right) and his spouse (first, right) are welcomed at Auckland Airport of New Zealand. (Photo: VNA) 
