Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for New Zealand companies to do more business in Vietnam to help push up bilateral trade between the two nations.

Speaking at his meeting today, March 10, with Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges and New Zealand business executives as part of his official visit to New Zealand, Chinh said Vietnam is presenting opportunities which New Zealander investors can tap to take annual two-way trade to US$2 billion.

Vietnam-New Zealand trade was US$1.67 billion in 2023.

Simon Bridges said New Zealand businesses see a lot of investment opportunities in the Southeast Asian country.

PM Chinh affirmed Vietnam protects their legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors, including those from New Zealand, according to the Government news website (chinhphu.vn).

Relations between Vietnam and New Zealand have grown in multiple fields and the two countries are members of key trade deals such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), said Chinh.

This is a good ground for business of the two countries to boost cooperation.

On the same day, the PM met with VietTech NZ, a group of Vietnamese professionals working in New Zealand as part of his official visit to New Zealand.

VietTech NZ presented the potential and specific projects and programs which they have been carrying out to support Vietnam or cooperating with Vietnamese partners in areas such as sci-tech, education, health care, energy, trade, planning and the environment.

Chinh asked VietTech NZ to play a greater role in connecting the technology communities of Vietnam and New Zealand, and strengthen their connection with the Global Forum of Vietnamese Young Intellectuals so as to contribute more effectively to Vietnam’s development.

The same day saw the PM meeting with Professor Neil Quigley, vice chancellor of Waikato University and chair of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

He proposed the university expand cooperation in human resource development with Vietnam by opening more branches in Vietnam, granting scholarships, and exchanging lecturers and teaching curricula.

Chinh also asked Quigley in his capacity as chair of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to drive up cooperation and experience sharing with Vietnam in building monetary, foreign exchange, credit and banking policies.

On the occasion, Waikato University and several Vietnamese universities exchanged four cooperation agreements and Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son presented the “For the Cause of Vietnam’s Education” insignia to Professor Quigley.

PM Chinh also visited the Plan and Food Research Centre (PFR) in Auckland today. The center has been cooperating with farmers, scientists, food companies, exporters, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Science and Technology in Vietnam in projects on raising crop output, quality and pest resistance, and promoting post-harvest and processing technologies to bring more profit to farmers and firms.

Saigon Times