New Zealand Ambassador to Việt Nam Caroline Beresford in the interview with local media in Hà Nội on February 20 to discuss upcoming visit by New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. — VNS Photo Trọng Kiên

HÀ NỘI — Next week's visit to Việt Nam by New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, along with a large trade delegation, aims to mark the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties (1975-2025) as well as reinforce and expand relations with such an important partner.

New Zealand Ambassador to Việt Nam Caroline Beresford made the statement in an interview on Thursday with local media ahead of this 'important trip' for New Zealand.

New Zealand's PM Luxon, accompanied by Minister of State for Trade and Investment Nicola Grigg, has said Việt Nam was a "rising star" of Southeast Asia, with one of the fastest growing economies in the region, in an official statement.

"My visit will further energise our relationships, strengthen existing trade, and open the door to more opportunities for New Zealand businesses, to grow incomes and create jobs here at home," Luxon wrote.

He added that trade with Việt Nam had grown by 40 per cent in the past five years, and it was a market with "huge opportunity" for New Zealand in the areas of international education and food and beverage offerings.

"Our Prime Minister has a very ambitious agenda for New Zealand in terms of its relationships with Southeast Asia. His government has moved quickly to reset our foreign policy, and as part of that, we have identified Việt Nam as one of our most important partners in the region and globally," the ambassador said.

"If you think of a relationship like a piece of fabric, the relationship architecture is like strands of fibre woven together to make the fabric stronger. And so in a sense, his visit to Việt Nam is deciding to draw the fibres together so that in an uncertain environment that we live in today, the fabric of our relationship remains strong."

Việt Nam and New Zealand have enjoyed cooperation in nearly all areas in the rich history of 50 years, but this trip by PM Luxon is expected to open up new business opportunities, with the accompanying trade delegation set to sign cooperation agreements with partners in Việt Nam.

The two sides will continue to strengthen traditional areas of cooperation, the diplomat noted, for example by applying New Zealand research science and technology to traditional areas like agriculture and education. She said: "We can add value to those sectors, and we can support Việt Nam's economic growth and our own."

Regarding the potential to further elevate bilateral ties from the current Strategic Partnership (2020) during PM Luxon's visit, the ambassador added it would: "Make sense in the world that we live in today that countries like Việt Nam and New Zealand who support peace and security, stability and prosperity for their peoples."

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính at the press briefing held following their talks in Wellington in March 2024. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Talking to Việt Nam News on the ambitious goal of lifting bilateral trade to US$3 billion by 2026, as agreed upon by the two Prime Ministers in 2024, she said it's going to take a lot of work over the next few years.

"But of course, without an ambitious goal, you would never even hope to get near it. So it's a little bit like learning a foreign language. Your teacher drops you in the deep end where you think you could never manage to speak, but by doing so, it takes you halfway there."

However, there are favourable conditions on the path, with her adding that Việt Nam is in an "extreme period of economic growth, and over the next few years, there are going to be more and more opportunities for trusted partners like New Zealand to sell our products."

"New Zealand is still very much dependent on the agriculture sector, but what we've done with the agriculture sector is adding New Zealand innovation and technology so that our producers are efficient, they're high quality and they maintain a brand that consumers know is safe and know they can rely on and know has the nutrition, particularly for their families. So I think leveraging that brand in Việt Nam, as Việt Nam family incomes start to rise there'll be more and more demand for some New Zealand's products."

On the other hand, Việt Nam also makes products that New Zealand has demands for, including agricultural products, so the two sides need to open those opportunities, the ambassador said.

The business delegation is brought over to Việt Nam so that: "They can understand Việt Nam, how you do business here, make local partnerships, take a chance, take a risk, invest. It's through that kind of activities that we can really turbocharge our trade," she added.

The business visitors are going to see Hà Nội, the heart of Việt Nam, with the old imperial centre and all that remains and the culture and the traditions and then will visit HCM City, which is a modern, bustling, thriving Southeast Asian capital.

"The contrast is fascinating for New Zealanders, the tourists want to see that," the ambassador remarked, adding that New Zealanders love to travel, especially to Southeast Asia and many visitors have been overwhelmed by the authenticity, the culture and the contrasts.

50th anniversary activities

There will be a lot on the agenda for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Việt Nam, which will be a mixture of celebration of traditional connections.

Just recently there was a big education conference in Hà Nội, where 150 alumni from around the region were gathering to talk about their education experiences, so that New Zealand can learn from them and improve some of their experiences, she noted.

"There will be a similar conference for young business leaders from around the region, which we will host in Huế City, which I think will be nice for our business people to be able to see such a beautiful setting in one locality that is developing strongly while retaining its tradition and culture."

Other activities will be the screening of some New Zealand films, with the country as a location becoming quite famous in recent years alongside films with beautiful stories that speak to their culture. There will be an indigenous cultural group from New Zealand coming to Việt Nam to showcase the 'manakitanga' (hospitality and friendship in Maori), and hopefully there will be exchange and pairing with some indigenous communities from Việt Nam, she said.

In New Zealand, given that Maori New Year (Matariki) falls on June 19-22 this year, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Việt Nam on June 19, the two sides are planning to hold a big celebration to mark the both events, the diplomat added. — VNS