<\/div><\/div>Vietnam-New Zealand Promotes Practical Cooperation, Expands Space for Sustainable Development<\/h1>
Keywords:<\/strong>Vietnam, New Zealand, bilateral cooperation, diplomacy, education, sustainable agriculture, digital transformation, climate change, CPTPP, APEC, ASEAN<\/p>
On June 23, in Hanoi, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Mong Qiang met with New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Caroline Beresford. The meeting took place against the backdrop of positive momentum in Vietnam-New Zealand relations, with cooperation deepening, becoming more practical and effective across multiple fields. The talks were not only an opportunity to exchange views on bilateral cooperation priorities but also demonstrated the determination to better tap existing potential while opening new cooperation directions in line with regional and world development trends.<\/p>
In the context of rapidly changing international economic and political environments, maintaining effective dialogue channels, raising the level of political trust, and expanding practical cooperation between Vietnam and New Zealand is of great significance. This is not only a relationship between two countries at opposite ends of the Asia-Pacific but also a highly complementary relationship that can contribute to regional peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development.<\/p>
During the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Mong Qiang emphasized that Vietnam-New Zealand relations are on a good development trajectory, with cooperation in many fields becoming increasingly productive. In particular, education, agriculture, and trade continue to serve as traditional pillars, laying a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation over the years.<\/p>
Notably, both sides are not only maintaining traditional cooperation areas but also actively seeking new spaces to expand ties. In the context of deepening globalization and digital transformation, the need to upgrade cooperation models is more urgent than ever. Both Vietnam and New Zealand aspire to build deeper, more effective, and sustainable cooperation centered on tangible benefits for people and businesses.<\/p>
For Vietnam, New Zealand has advantages in technology, high-quality education, public governance, and modern agriculture. Meanwhile, Vietnam is a dynamic economy with a large market, a young labor force, and a strategic geographical location in Southeast Asia. The complementarity of the two economies creates favorable conditions for expanding cooperation, not only in goods trade but also in investment, innovation, human resource development, and addressing non-traditional challenges.<\/p>
One of the topics emphasized by Deputy Minister Nguyen Mong Qiang was recommending that the New Zealand Ambassador continue close coordination to more effectively tap the potential for cooperation in fields such as education, agriculture, trade, and people-to-people exchanges.<\/p>
Education has always been a representative area of cooperation between Vietnam and New Zealand. For many years, New Zealand has been considered a trusted study destination for Vietnamese students due to its high-quality education, modern learning environment, and open support policies. On the other hand, Vietnam also wants to strengthen cooperation between educational institutions, promote teacher and student exchanges, joint research, and develop training programs linked to labor market needs.<\/p>
Besides education, agriculture is also an area with great cooperation potential. New Zealand has outstanding advantages in high-tech agriculture, value chain management, traceability, food safety, and sustainable livestock and crop development. Vietnam, with its tropical agricultural products, urgently needs to improve the productivity, quality, and competitiveness of its agricultural products. Strengthening the sharing of modern agricultural experience, technology, and governance models will help support Vietnam's agricultural restructuring towards green, clean, and higher value-added directions.<\/p>
Furthermore, people-to-people exchanges are seen as an important foundation for bringing the two countries closer and enhancing the resilience of the relationship. Cultural, academic, tourism exchange programs, and diaspora community liaisons not only help enhance mutual understanding but also inject social momentum into the long-term development of bilateral cooperation. In an era where international relations increasingly depend on consensus and trust between peoples, people-to-people exchange channels will continue to play an irreplaceable role.<\/p>
Another important content in the exchanges was promoting deeper cooperation in science and technology. Deputy Minister Nguyen Mong Qiang believes this is an area that can make a tangible contribution to enhancing the economic and technological resilience of both countries.<\/p>
In the context where strategic competition, digital transformation, and innovation are reshaping global development patterns, science and technology cooperation is no longer a supplementary field but increasingly a strategic pillar. Vietnam is prioritizing the building of a digital economy, developing an innovation ecosystem, and enhancing technological self-reliance. New Zealand, with its advantages in applied research, agricultural technology, digital health, and digital governance, can be a suitable partner for jointly developing new cooperation models.<\/p>
Ambassador Caroline Beresford also emphasized that New Zealand has many strengths in high-tech agriculture, digital transformation, digital government, digital health, online education, and space technology. These areas align with Vietnam's current development needs and priorities. New Zealand is willing to share experience, provide technical solutions, and participate in cooperation initiatives that will help form more practical cooperation content closely tied to Vietnam's development goals.<\/p>
Especially in the context where all countries face the demand for growth model transformation, science and technology cooperation between Vietnam and New Zealand can generate significant spillover effects. Such cooperation not only helps improve labor productivity and governance efficiency but also strengthens adaptability to climate change, diseases, and global economic shocks.<\/p>
Deputy Minister Nguyen Mong Qiang suggested that both sides continue to expand cooperation in areas aligned with Vietnam's development priorities, including sustainable agriculture, climate change response, education and training, and human resource development. These areas are not only strategically significant in the present but also lay the foundation for long-term development.<\/p>
Among them, climate change is a challenge shared by Vietnam and New Zealand. Vietnam is one of the countries heavily affected by sea-level rise, extreme weather, and resource depletion. New Zealand, with its rich experience in environmental management, nature conservation, and green economy development, can share many valuable experiences. Cooperation in this area can go beyond professional exchanges to include specific projects on climate adaptation, smart agriculture, clean energy, and sustainable resource management.<\/p>
In human resource development, Vietnam is demanding higher labor quality to adapt to the fast changes in the digital economy and knowledge industries. New Zealand, with its flexible and practice-oriented education system, can support Vietnam in vocational training, digital skills, green skills, and training for emerging professions. This direction aligns with modern trends, where human resource quality is seen as a core factor of national competitiveness.<\/p>
On the New Zealand side, Ambassador Caroline Beresford confirmed that New Zealand values developing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam and hopes to continue close coordination with Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to maximize the potential for bilateral cooperation.<\/p>
The ambassador's confirmation shows that New Zealand not only regards Vietnam as an important trade partner but also as a strategically significant partner in the Asia-Pacific cooperation landscape. This aligns with New Zealand's trend of strengthening its presence in the region and developing relations with dynamic regional economies, among which Vietnam is a promising destination.<\/p>
New Zealand's emphasis on its advantages in digital technology, digital health, online education, digital government, and space technology also reflects a very pragmatic approach to cooperation: centering on the partner's development needs while finding areas where both sides can complement each other and achieve mutual benefit. This is a modern cooperation concept that meets the requirements of building high-quality bilateral relations in the new era.<\/p>
A notable highlight of the meeting was the high appreciation from both sides for close coordination at regional and international forums, especially under the frameworks of ASEAN, CPTPP, APEC, and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.<\/p>
In the context of increasingly intertwined global challenges, the role of multilateral mechanisms has become extremely important. Both Vietnam and New Zealand are countries that support multilateralism, free trade, and a rules-based regional order. Effective coordination in forums such as ASEAN, CPTPP, and APEC not only helps both countries safeguard national interests but also contributes to building a more open, peaceful, and stable cooperation environment.<\/p>
Deputy Minister Nguyen Mong Qiang emphasized that Vietnam is willing to coordinate with New Zealand to deepen ASEAN-New Zealand relations, thereby positively contributing to regional peace, stability, cooperation, and development. This direction is strategically significant because ASEAN's centrality in the regional landscape is increasingly prominent, and New Zealand is an important partner that can work with ASEAN to promote sustainable development, economic connectivity, and address common challenges.<\/p>
The meeting between Deputy Minister Nguyen Mong Qiang and Ambassador Caroline Beresford reaffirmed the positive momentum of Vietnam-New Zealand relations and demonstrated a strong political determination to expand practical, effective, and sustainable cooperation. From education, agriculture, and trade to science and technology, digital transformation, and climate change response, there is still ample space for both countries to jointly tap.<\/p>
More importantly, the Vietnam-New Zealand relationship is shifting from traditional cooperation to a more comprehensive, modern model that is more closely aligned with both sides' development priorities. Close coordination at the regional and international levels, especially under ASEAN, CPTPP, and APEC frameworks, will also serve as an important driving force for elevating the relationship while making tangible contributions to peace, stability, and shared prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.<\/p>
In the new context, with trust, openness, and a spirit of pursuing common interests, Vietnam and New Zealand have a solid foundation to push bilateral relations to develop deeper, broader, more practical, and more effective in the future.<\/p>Opening<\/h2>
Bilateral Relations Continue to Develop Practically<\/h2>
Strengthening Cooperation in Education, Agriculture, and People-to-People Exchanges<\/h2>
Technology and Innovation: New Drivers for Bilateral Relations<\/h2>
Expanding Cooperation Aligned with Vietnam's Development Priorities<\/h2>
New Zealand Willing to Stand with Vietnam<\/h2>
Enhanced Coordination at Regional and International Forums<\/h2>
Conclusion<\/h2>
