Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính attended the ASEAN–New Zealand Commemorative Summit marking the 50th anniversary of their relations in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. VNA/VNS Photo

KUALA LUMPUR — ASEAN and New Zealand on Tuesday agreed to upgrade the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on four pillars — Peace, Prosperity, People and Planet — at the ASEAN–New Zealand Commemorative Summit marking the 50th anniversary of their relations in Kuala Lumpur.

At the summit, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Chair of ASEAN 2025, ASEAN leaders and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Luxon expressed appreciation for Việt Nam’s active and effective role as the country coordinator for ASEAN–New Zealand dialogue relations for the 2024–2027 term.

They commended Việt Nam’s efforts in coordinating and completing negotiations on key documents that elevate ASEAN–New Zealand relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, laying the foundation for stronger cooperation in the years ahead.

According to Vietnam News Agency, as the country coordinator, Việt Nam has played an active and responsible role in advancing negotiations on two key documents: the Joint Vision Statement and the 2026–2030 Action Plan, which received broad support and were adopted at the ASEAN–New Zealand Commemorative Summit.

In his remarks, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính underscored the historic significance of establishing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, saying it reflected the maturity, closeness and depth of cooperation between the two sides, contributing to enhancing their international roles amid a volatile world.

"Việt Nam takes pride in joining other ASEAN members to build and nurture this partnership and to witness today’s fruitful outcomes," he said.

He proposed three key priorities to concretise the new cooperation framework.

The first is maintaining peace and stability for inclusive and sustainable development, contributing to an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional order, and continuing to strongly support ASEAN’s stance on the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea).

The second is to promote economic connectivity and new growth drivers based on science, technology and innovation while effectively implementing the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area and supporting ASEAN in negotiating and implementing the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement.

The third is to strengthen people-to-people connectivity, putting people at the centre, as both the driver and beneficiary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership while enhancing high-quality human resource training and linking academia, industry and government under the spirit of a facilitative state, pioneering enterprises and a prosperous, happy people.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed that New Zealand, as one of ASEAN’s oldest partners, attached great importance to fostering close, trustworthy and substantive cooperation with ASEAN and its member states.

He reiterated New Zealand’s support for ASEAN unity, centrality and its efforts to build a resilient, inclusive and sustainable ASEAN Community.

New Zealand committed resources for the 2026–2030 Action Plan, including NZD147 million (US$84.77 million) in climate finance, NZD27 million for green technology development and NZD25 million to establish the ASEAN–New Zealand Vision Fund for economic, climate and environmental cooperation initiatives.

It will also expand the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Program for ASEAN and establish the ASEAN–New Zealand Trade Academy to strengthen economic cooperation and subregional collaboration, including in the Mekong region. — VNS