(VNA) Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, on a visit to New Zealand from May 7-11, met with the New Zealand Association for Friendship with Viet Nam and Assistance to Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia on May 10.

PM Khai praised the association's precious support for Vietnamese people during their past struggle for national liberation and the present cause for national construction. He expressed hope that the Association would continue to help strengthen the solidarity and co-operation between the two countries.

The same day, PM Khai visited Victoria University which has been implementing many co-operation programmes in tertiary and post-graduate training with many universities in Viet Nam, including the Ha Noi National University, the Ho Chi Minh City Economics College, the Can Tho University, and the Hue University.

Speaking at the university, the PM thanked the New Zealand Government for its pledge to triple its ODA to Viet Nam in the coming years. He also suggested Victoria University should boost its cooperation with Vietnamese universities and colleges thus helping train human resources for Viet Nam's industrialisation and modernisation cause. He said the Vietnamese Government encourages foreign universities to open branches in Viet Nam.

In the afternoon the same day, PM Khai arrived in Auckland to visit the Virionyx corporation and meet with the Rector of the Auckland University of Technology.