National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ on Tuesday held talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Wellington. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

WELLINGTON — National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vương Đình Huệ held talks with Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern in Wellington as part of his official visit.

The Vietnamese top legislator stressed that after the New Zealand PM’s visit to Việt Nam in November, his own ongoing visit once again affirmed the commitments of the two countries' leadership and people in enhancing the Việt Nam-New Zealand Strategic Partnership.

Through the visit, the Vietnamese side realised that there still has much room for further development of bilateral ties and that the two countries can soon achieve the target of US$2 billion in two-way trade value by 2024, Huệ noted, suggesting that the two sides strengthen cooperation in aviation and tourism, establish direct flights between the two countries, and facilitate the exchange of businessmen and tourists.

NA Chairman Huệ suggested that New Zealand consider removing trade barriers, avoiding the application of trade remedies in order to create maximum conditions for bilateral trade, facilitating business communities of the two sides to exchange and contact in order to promote trade and investment, implementing trade promotion programmes, noting that Việt Nam is willing to import goods from New Zealand and wants to export products, especially agricultural products, to New Zealand.

The Vietnamese leader said he hoped New Zealand would open high school and university training institutions in Việt Nam so that Vietnamese students have more choices of learning opportunities, adding that there are still a lot more Vietnamese students going to New Zealand for studies and research as Việt Nam’s demands for education and training is huge.

NA Chairman Huệ also suggested that New Zealand create favourable conditions for Vietnamese holiday workers and agricultural workers to come to work in New Zealand.

Recalling her good impressions during the trip to Việt Nam last month, especially Việt Nam’s achievements in post-pandemic economic recovery and growth, PM Ardern emphasised that Chairman Huệ’s visit would further promote cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including economy-trade, agriculture, education and training.

Agreeing with the proposals of the Vietnamese guest, the New Zealand Government leader said that based on the positive results of the visits, including two economic cooperation forums that were successfully held in both countries, New Zealand wishes to continue to explore the Vietnamese market and opportunities for economic - trade - investment cooperation.

PM Ardern said she hopes the two countries continue to strengthen cooperation in education and is ready to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese workers, especially skilled workers to work in New Zealand, giving priority to labourers in the fields of healthcare, construction and agriculture.

PM Ardern thanked Việt Nam for quickly announcing the opening of its market for New Zealand's strawberries and pumpkins, less than a month after her visit to Việt Nam.

On this occasion, Chairman Huệ thanked the New Zealand Government for the support of Vietnamese citizens, especially during the pandemic, and expressed his wish that the New Zealand Government would continue to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens to contribute to the development of New Zealand and become an important bridge for the two countries' friendship. — VNS