Hanoi (VNA) – The coming official visit to New Zealand by Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh holds special significance as it is an occasion for the two sides tofurther intensify bilateral cooperation and strategic partnership, said VietnameseAmbassador to the South Pacific country Nguyen Van Trung.

Hetold Vietnam New Agency that the visit on March 10 - 11, to be made at theinvitation of PM Christopher Luxon, is the first to New Zealand – a strategicpartner of Vietnam since 2020 – by PM Chinh, who is also the first foreign governmentleader to arrive in New Zealand since this country shaped a new government.

Trungnoted that the visit is a step to implement the foreign policy identified atthe 13th National Party Congress, which attaches importance todeveloping cooperation with Asian-Pacific countries, among which New Zealand isan important strategic partner.

Sincemid-2022, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the cooperation and strategic partnershipbetween the two countries have recorded highly positive progress in suchspheres as politics, diplomacy, trade, education - training, science -technology, security, defence, and people-to-people exchange.

Thevisit is a crucial occasion for Vietnam and New Zealand to further intensifythe cooperation and strategic partnership on the threshold of the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2025. It is also a chance for people inthe South Pacific nation to learn more about the Southeast Asian country’s Doimoi (Renewal) achievements, including fast and sustainable development, activeintegration into the world, and enhanced cooperation with the Pacific,thereby contributing to peace, friendship, cooperation, and development in theworld, according to the diplomat.

Hewent on to say that during the trip, the two sides will discuss measures to realise the action plan for implementing the strategic partnership 2021 -2024 and also specify the focuses and new cooperation areas matching the newcontext.

Trungsaid PM Chinh will engage in a number of important activities, including holdingofficial talks with his counterpart Luxon, witnessing the signing ofcooperation documents, and having meetings with the Governor-General and theSpeaker of the House of Representatives of New Zealand.

Heis scheduled to deliver an important policy speech at the Victoria Universityof Wellington and meet students, experts, and lecturers of the school.

Besides,the Vietnamese Government’s delegation will visit Auckland, the biggest city ofNew Zealand that houses a large Vietnamese community. The PM will also visit theNew Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research and a cooperation project ontropical crop and fruit varieties.

ThePM is set to meet with the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy, representatives ofthe Vietnamese community, and science - technology experts of Vietnam. He willalso join leading businesses of New Zealand in a seminar, the ambassador added.

Trungexpressed his belief that the visit will create a new impetus for bilateralcooperation in economy, trade, education - training, security, and defencewhile exploring and capitalising on cooperation potential in new areas so as tocontribute to economic growth, social stability, and sustainable development. Inaddition, it will also help the bilateral strategic partnership develop more intensivelyand strengthen the mutual understanding and friendship between the twopeoples./.