Hanoi (VNA) – A delegation from the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA)’s Committee on Defence, Security, and External Affairs, led by its Chairman General Le Tan Toi, who is a member of the NA Standing Committee, visited New Zealand from August 21 to 23.
During the visit, the delegation paid a courtesy call on Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Gerry Brownlee; and held talks with Tim Van de Molen, Chair of the parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.
They also met Paulo Garcia and Jenny Salesa, co-chair of the New Zealand – South and Southeast Asia Parliamentary Friendship Group; had a discussion with Deputy Secretary of Defence Policy and Planning Richard Schmidt; and met with the Divisional Manager for South and Southeast Asia of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The delegation also visited the Vietnamese Embassy in New Zealand.
Leaders of the New Zealand parliament and relevant agencies highly valued the delegation’s visit, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. They expressed the desire to expand cooperation mechanisms across multiple fields, including defence and security, with Vietnam and its NA amid today’s complex and volatile global landscape.
Speaker Gerry Brownlee expressed hope and confidence that his visit to Vietnam from August 27 to 31, at the invitation of Vietnamese NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man, will succeed in further strengthening the countries' Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
In response to New Zealand’s warm reception, Toi affirmed the importance Vietnam attaches to its ties with New Zealand and noted the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’s positive development across various areas. He voiced his hope for both sides to accelerate the building and approval of an action plan for implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2025–2030.
The visiting official added that the Vietnamese NA is looking forward to the New Zealand Speaker’s visit to deepen cooperation not only between the two countries but also between their parliaments.
The two sides exchanged views and agreed on the importance of further intensifying the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as well as enhancing cooperation in regional and international issues of shared concern. They agreed to increase contacts and mutual visits at all levels, including those by delegations of parliamentary leaders and committees, to boost political trust and foster cooperation in other fields. They also encouraged business communities to expand investment and trade partnerships.
Both parties discussed measures to raise bilateral trade turnover to 3 billion USD by 2026 as in line with their leaders’ agreements. They expressed interest in establishing a direct air route to facilitate economic, trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, thus benefiting both countries.
Toi requested New Zealand to ease market access for Vietnamese commodities such as lychee, longan, and pomelo. He also called on New Zealand to continue providing technical assistance in agriculture, climate change adaptation, innovation, health care, and more.
He affirmed Vietnam’s readiness to create favourable conditions for New Zealand businesses to invest in sectors where they excel in, particularly clean agriculture.
The two sides expressed satisfaction with the positive results of bilateral defence and security cooperation, highlighting the willingness to step up collaboration in peacekeeping force training and preparation, English language training, and defence industry, and to maintain the ministerial-level defence dialogue.
At a working session with the Vietnamese Embassy staff in New Zealand, Ambassador Phan Minh Giang reported on the host country’s situation, the embassy's achievements in political, economic and cultural diplomacy, and the Vietnamese community’s status. He proposed building an online Vietnamese language teaching programme and software for overseas Vietnamese.
Toi praised the embassy’s achievements and the Vietnamese community’s solidarity. He suggested communications continue to encourage the community to uphold national traditions, boost mutual support, comply with local laws, preserve the Vietnamese language and culture, and further contribute to the homeland./.
