Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed that New Zealand create more conditions for Vietnamese goods to access its market toward bringing the two countries' two-way trade turnover to 2 billion USD by 2024, during a reception for the new New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam, TredeneDobson, in Hanoi on March 15. 

At the reception, Chinh expressed his delight at the countries’growing ties, stressing that given complex COVID-19 developments, bilateral high-levelexchanges and interactions as well as cooperation in trade, economy, andinvestment have been maintained.

The PM thanked the New Zealand Government for providing ODA forVietnam to realise its sustainable development goals with a focus onagriculture and rural development, human resources, disaster management andresponse, climate change, and poverty eradication.

Lauding the signing of the 2021-2024 action plan between the two countries, Chinh recommended that the two sides coordinate the implementation of the plan to practically and effectivelydeepen and expand their cooperation. In the immediate future, he noted it isnecessary to resume the exchange of delegations at all levels, particularlyhigh-level ones, when conditions permit; regularly deploy cooperationmechanisms in a flexible form; and restore and further promote collaboration ineducation, tourism, culture and society when opening the border.

He asked New Zealand to maintain and increase its government scholarshipsfor Vietnam annually and continue its English Language Training for OfficialsScholarships for Vietnamese public officials.

Appreciating New Zealand’s aid of 30,000 doses of the AstraZenecaCOVID-19 vaccine for Vietnam last year and its contributions to Southeast Asia’sresponse to the pandemic, PM Chinh wished that the country will give further assistance for Vietnam in its economicrecovery as well as for the country and the region in accessing supply sources of COVID-19vaccines and medical equipment.  

He asked that the New Zealand Government willcontinue to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens to live andwork there in the context of complicated epidemic conditions, as well as help them to safely return home according to their wish.

For her part, Ambassador Dobson congratulated the Vietnamese Governmentfor its controlling of the pandemic serving upcoming reopening and socio-economicdevelopment.

She vowed to further assist Vietnam in pandemic preventionand recovery, and help fostering the two nations’ economic and trade ties. Shehoped their leaders will soon visit each other at a convenient time.

The diplomat pledged to do her utmost in strengthening the two nations’ relations in the time to come, particularly the implementation of the action plan deploying their strategic partnership for 2021-2024.

Both host and guest agreed to continue to support theprotection of international order based on rules, especially the United NationsCharter and Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982); as well as toactively participate in and contribute to cooperation for peace, stability andsecurity in the East Sea and in the region./.