On this occasion, the New Zealand Foreign Minister presented a diplomatic note announcing a 3 million NZD aid package from the New Zealand Government to Vietnam to address recent natural disaster impacts. Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, on behalf of the Vietnamese Government and people, expressed gratitude to the New Zealand Government and people for their support in overcoming the recent floods, considering it a meaningful gesture reflecting the strong solidarity between the two nations.
Both sides expressed delight at the extensive development of Vietnam-New Zealand relations since upgrading to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (February 2025), appreciating the comprehensive and effective cooperation across five pillars: politics, defense-security, maritime cooperation, economy, trade, investment, science and technology, agriculture, climate change response, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. The two Foreign Ministers agreed on the need to maintain the momentum of relationship development, enhance political trust, and further promote high-level and other exchanges, leveraging bilateral cooperation mechanisms and effectively implementing the newly signed Action Program.
Both sides emphasized the complementary nature of their economies, affirming that there is still significant potential in economic-trade and investment cooperation. They agreed to implement strong, breakthrough measures to strive for a bilateral trade turnover of 3 billion USD by 2026, focusing on enhancing business connectivity and effectively implementing free trade agreements of which both are members.
Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung encouraged New Zealand businesses to increase investment in Vietnam. Minister Peters thanked Vietnam for opening its market to certain New Zealand agricultural products and hoped for continued facilitation for other products. Both sides agreed to further expand cooperation in education, people-to-people exchanges, aviation connectivity, tourism, science and technology, green economy, digital economy, agriculture, and climate change response.
Discussing global and regional issues, the two ministers shared that Vietnam and New Zealand have a common vision of building a rules-based world and regional order, respecting the voices of medium and small countries, promoting free trade, multilateralism, and dialogue, cooperation, and connectivity. Minister Winston Peters affirmed that New Zealand considers Southeast Asia a priority in its foreign policy, supports ASEAN's central role, and requested Vietnam, as the coordinator of ASEAN-New Zealand relations, to continue promoting the newly established ASEAN-New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters congratulated Vietnam on assuming the role of Chair of the CPTPP Council in 2026 and pledged support to help Vietnam successfully fulfill its duties, thereby promoting free trade and regional connectivity. Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung appreciated New Zealand's cooperation and support for Vietnam and ASEAN, hoping New Zealand will continue its positive stance, supporting Vietnam and ASEAN in strategic regional issues, including the South China Sea, and consider expanding cooperation with the Mekong sub-region, especially in climate change response and rising sea levels.
The two Foreign Ministers had in-depth exchanges on several other issues of mutual concern and reached a high consensus, thereby enhancing trust and mutual understanding, contributing positively to the development of the Vietnam-New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new phase./.
