Chairman of the National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ (right) with Mike Cronin, managing director of Co-operative Affairs at Fonterra. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tuấn

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HÀ NỘI — Trade and investment are major pillars to enhancing the cooperation between Việt Nam and New Zealand, Chairman of the National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ said while meeting leaders of New Zealand companies in Auckland on Sunday during his ongoing official visit to the country.

Hosting Mike Cronin, managing director of Co-operative Affairs at Fonterra, Huệ lauded the group's joint works with Vietnamese firms such as Vinamilk and Nutifood in the supply and distribution of milk in Việt Nam's market.

Fonterra has been operating in Việt Nam since 1980, specialising in supplying and distributing dairy and food products for restaurant and hotel chains.

Huệ urged the group to increase cooperation and investment in Việt Nam, especially in sectors of Việt Nam's strength, such as dairy farming and milk processing. He also hopes for cooperation in training, technology transfer and investment in equipment for Vietnamese farms and partners for high-quality dairy products in Việt Nam and other ASEAN countries.

Huệ stressed that Việt Nam is continuing to improve the legal system, besides the framework of the free trade agreement between the two countries, to create the best conditions for investors and ensure fair competition.

In response, Cronin praised Việt Nam's increasingly substantive and effective investment attraction policies.

He welcomed Huệ's suggestions and would work with the group's leaders to study the opportunities to expand cooperation and investment, especially regarding opening the distribution network in Việt Nam.

He also expected the Vietnamese Government and relevant ministries to create favourable conditions for foreign investors to do business long-term in Việt Nam.

At his meeting with Fiso Investment Group CEO John Fiso and Director of Viet River Holdings Limited Nguyễn Trương Khoa, the top legislator welcomed businesses that had joined many networking activities between Vietnamese and New Zealand firms and directly invested in Việt Nam.

He said two key forums on education and trade-economy-investment collaboration scheduled as part of his visit were an opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors of the nations to beef up their ties in the coming time.

Fiso said his group was currently boosting investment again after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on healthcare, education and importing Vietnamese products. Fiso Investment also promoted investment activities to build high schools and vocational facilities in Việt Nam, form labour cooperation, and support Vietnamese businesses to invest in New Zealand.

Khoa said that Viet River Holdings was promoting the importation of Vietnamese pepper and coffee products to New Zealand and wished to bring Vietnamese workers to work in the market.

Huệ recommended the businesses propose to the New Zealand Government so that the two governments would soon sign an agreement on labour cooperation, creating a solid legal framework for this field.

NA Chairman Huệ also hosted Don Hà, CEO of RE/MAX, one of the major US real estate companies operating through the franchise system and was currently present in more than 110 countries and territories. The RE/MAX New Zealand was established in 1996.

At the meeting, Huệ expressed his support for the company's plan to import products of Vietnamese origin, serving the opening of a sales centre and supermarket of household appliances in New Zealand.

Meanwhile, while meeting with the NA leader on Sunday, VietTechNZ's representative proposed connecting Vietnamese and New Zealand companies and their IT personnel. VietTechNZ works to link Vietnamese knowledge networks operating in New Zealand's technology field.

Considering these proposals, Huệ said the Vietnamese Party, State, and NA always support and create favourable conditions for the overseas Vietnamese community. — VNS