Vietnamese National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Thanh (left) meets Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament Gerry Brownlee on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

WELLINGTON — National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Thanh held talks with Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament Gerry Brownlee and Deputy Speaker Barbara Kuriger following a welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese legislator in Wellington on September 10 (local time).

The hosts extended their deep sympathy over the losses caused by Typhoon Yagi to Việt Nam, saying they wish that the Vietnamese State and people will soon overcome flood consequences and stabilise their lives.

They expressed a strong desire to enhance relations between the two countries and their respective parliaments. They were pleased to see the growing bilateral relationship and parliamentary ties, especially as both nations approach the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025.

Speaker Brownlee commended Việt Nam’s achievements, noting that Việt Nam now plays a significant role in the region and Asia, becoming an important partner of NZ and other regional countries.

Both sides were delighted at remarkable progress in nearly 50 years of diplomatic ties, including the upgrade of the relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2020. They have effectively and consistently maintained bilateral cooperation mechanisms in key areas, resulting in positive outcomes, stronger political trust and mutual understanding and respect.

Economic ties have been growing, with two-way trade hitting US$1.3 billion in 2023 and targets set for $2 billion in 2024 and $3 billion in 2026.

The two sides agreed on several major directions for future cooperation between their legislatures. These include studying and accelerating the signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement, and another between the Vietnamese NA Office and the NZ Parliamentary Counsel Office.

Key areas of focus include facilitating high-level and committee-level interactions, sharing professional experience, and promoting a favourable legal framework to encourage the effective implementation of signed agreements. Additionally, both sides committed to fostering cooperation in staff training between the NA Parliamentary Counsel Office and the Vietnamese NA Office.

Thanh, who is on a visit to NZ from September 8-11, praised NZ’s support for ASEAN's central role and urged continued dialogue and cooperation to address common regional challenges.

As a coordinator of the ASEAN-NZ relations for 2024-2027, Việt Nam pledges to advance substantive cooperation programmes between the two sides, she said.

Thanh suggested that both sides uphold coordination mechanisms at multilateral forums and Mekong sub-region mechanisms, particularly in disaster and risk mitigation, and renewable energy. She advocated for increased consultation, information exchange, and coordinated stance on regional issues of mutual interest, as well as mutual support at global and regional parliamentary forums.

Brownlee endorsed Thanh's proposals and expressed his commitment to deepening cooperation at multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations, to build a world based on international law and ensure the national interests of all countries.

During a working session with NZ Minister for Economic Development and Minister for Ethnic Communities Melissa Lee the same day, Thanh commended New Zealand's ethnic policies and suggested leveraging economic cooperation mechanisms.

She urged facilitating market access, using electronic certification for agricultural product imports, and supporting Vietnamese investments in processing, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, automotive repair, and hospitality.

Additionally, she sought NZ's more technical assistance projects to Việt Nam in agriculture, climate change adaptation, innovation, and health care.

Việt Nam is ready to offer all possible to NZ investments in Việt Nam, particularly in areas where NZ has strengths, such as clean agriculture, risk management, disaster response, and renewable energy, she said.

Lee, for her part, hailed Việt Nam as one of NZ's foreign policy priorities. As the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year, she wished they would soon upgrade their relationship to the highest level in order to fully leverage their respective strengths.

During a meeting with Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds, Thanh lauded the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on education cooperation for the 2023-26 period.

Simmonds described education cooperation as a bright spot in bilateral ties, with ample potential for further collaboration.

A day earlier, Thanh met with Phạm Thị Ngọc Lan, a Vietnamese-origin lawmaker in the 54th NZ Parliament.

She wished that Lan would continue to excel in the NZ Parliament and effectively promote the positive image and values of Việt Nam, contributing to supporting initiatives related to environmental protection.

In another meeting, Thanh and President of the NZ-Việt Nam Friendship Association and former Governor-General of NZ discussed ideas to reinforce education and people-to-people exchanges, toward the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the fifth anniversary of strategic partnership next year. — VNS