Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon review the Honour Guard of the Việt Nam People's Army. VNA/VNS Photos Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính hosted a welcome ceremony on Wednesday afternoon for his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, who is paying an official visit to Việt Nam and attending the second ASEAN Future Forum (AFF).

This is PM Luxon's first official visit to Việt Nam since he was appointed as New Zealand's Prime Minister. It takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations (June 19, 1975 - 2025) and the relationship between the two countries is developing positively and effectively.

The visit is expected to contribute to enhancing political trust, deepening ties and making the Việt Nam - New Zealand bilateral relationship more practical and effective.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon greet children at the welcome ceremony in Hà Nội.

After the welcome ceremony, the two PMs visited a photo exhibition featuring the people of Việt Nam and New Zealand jointly organised by the Government Office and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

The two Prime Ministers at the welcome ceremony.

The visit comes at a crucial time, when cooperation between Việt Nam and New Zealand is flourishing, backed by frequent high-level exchanges and various collaboration mechanisms and agreements. It offers an important opportunity for the two sides to look back on their partnership and shape future strategy.

The two countries have always maintained contact with exchanges of high-level delegations and others at all levels.

Việt Nam is currently New Zealand's 13th largest trading partner, with two-way trade turnover in 2023 and 2024 reaching US$1.3 billion. New Zealand is Việt Nam's 41st largest trading partner. The two countries aim to reach a trade turnover of $3 billion by 2026.

As of February 2025, New Zealand had 55 investment projects in Việt Nam with a total capital of $208 million, ranking 39th out of 149 countries and territories investing in the country.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visit a photo exhibition on bilateral cooperation organised by Vietnam News Agency.

Meanwhile, Việt Nam had 12 investment projects in New Zealand with a total registered capital of $43.9 million, ranking 30th out of 80 countries and territories in which Việt Nam has invested.

New Zealand provides Việt Nam with stable ODA that is gradually increasing year by year. Currently, around 14,000 Vietnamese people live in New Zealand.

Within a multilateral framework, Việt Nam and New Zealand have a close cooperative relationship and support each other at important international and regional events and forums. The two countries have jointly promoted cooperation under free trade agreements to which both countries are signatories.

PM Luxon’s official visit to Việt Nam is an opportunity for the two sides to review and promote cooperation in all fields, especially those in which one side has needs and the other side has strengths.

These include the green economy, digital transformation, digital economy, knowledge economy, circular economy, energy transition, agriculture, climate change response, education, labour and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The two sides will also consider upgrading Việt Nam - New Zealand relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. — VNS

Vietnamese PM Phạm Minh Chính and New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon. — VNA/VNS Photo