Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ (right) had talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Hà Nội on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ has thanked New Zealand for assisting Việt Nam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by providing vaccines and financial support for the Southeast Asian country.

Meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Hà Nội on Monday, NA Chairman Huệ expressed his delight at the development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two legislatures over the past years, with the establishment of the Việt Nam-New Zealand Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group by the 15th Vietnamese NA, and the New Zealand-Pacific Parliamentary Friendship Group by the New Zealand Parliament.

The top legislator of Việt Nam proposed the two sides increase the exchange of visits and cooperation between parliamentary committees and friendship parliamentarians’ groups of the two countries to share information and experience, toward signing a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures.

The two sides should continue mutual support and close coordination at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP), the top legislator said.

The Vietnamese NA would monitor the implementation of signed agreements, including the 2021-2024 Action Programme for the implementation of the bilateral strategic partnership and two agreements signed during the visit, he said.

Calling for enhanced cooperation in new fields such as energy transition and digital transformation, NA Chairman Huệ said the Vietnamese NA was incorporating the UN’s sustainable development goals 2030 into the country's socio-economic development plans and programmes while studying cooperation in technology and green growth to support energy transition and digital transformation.

PM Ardern, for her part, said the target of US$2 billion in two-way trade before 2025 would be reachable. During the visit, New Zealand officially recognised the opening of its market for Vietnamese lemon and pomelo and agreed to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese farm produce to enter the New Zealand market in the near future, she added.

Apart from agriculture, financial technology, cooperation and services are also important fields to raise two-way trade, according to the PM.

She held that the two countries should further enhance people-to-people exchanges to raise mutual understanding by increasing the number of Vietnamese students studying in the Pacific nation.

According to the PM, the two nations could step up cooperation in health care and economy. New Zealand is committed to increasing finance in climate change response, with priorities given to several areas. Together with climate finance, New Zealand wants to work with agricultural countries, including Việt Nam, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture.

On regional and global issues of shared concern, the two leaders underscored the importance of promoting dialogue, enhancing trust and settling disputes by peaceful measures in accordance with international law.

On this occasion, NA Chairman Huệ asked PM Ardern to convey his regards to Speaker of the House of Representatives Adrian Rurawhe. — VNS