New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wraps up Vietnam visit

WVR/VNA - On February 28 evening, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon left Ho Chi Minh City, concluding his three-day successful official visit to Vietnam, where he also attended the second ASEAN Future Forum, at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wraps up Vietnam visit
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the welcome ceremony. (Photo: VGP)

At the ASEAN Future Forum, Prime Minister Luxon delivered a speech and engaged in discussions within the high-level plenary session. In his remarks, the leader expressed his honour to attend the forum, viewing it as a timely and important event for ASEAN-New Zealand relations.

This is the opportunity to address challenges that the world and the Indo- Pacific are facing, he said, highlighting the importance of ASEAN to New Zealand.

While in Vietnam, Prime Minister Luxon paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs in Hanoi.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wraps up Vietnam visit
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.. (Photo: Mhandan Newspaper)

Prime Minister Luxon had meetings with Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.

Prime Minister Chinh hosted an official welcome ceremony and held talks with his New Zealand counterpart. They witnessed the signing and exchange of cooperation documents between the two countries. The Vietnamese leader also hosted a banquet for Prime Minister Luxon.

At the meetings and talks, the two sides held that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975 and the Strategic Partnership in 2020, Vietnam and New Zealand have shared a common vision for a stable and prosperous region. Their relationship has grown strongly and been strengthened, both bilaterally and within sub-regional, regional, and multilateral frameworks.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wraps up Vietnam visit
General Secretary To Lam and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. (Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper)

Based on their good relationship, common interests, and mutual trust, the two countries’ leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

During his stay, Prime Minister Luxon and Prime Minister Chinh visited the Temple of Literature and enjoyed folk arts.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wraps up Vietnam visit
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks at the high-level plenary session at the ASEAN Future Forum 2025, on February 26, 2025. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

Prime Minister Luxon also visited and met with students at Foreign Trade University where he announced the New Zealand government's scholarship programme for Vietnamese students in 2025.

In Ho Chi Minh City, Prime Minister Luxon met with Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc.

Prime Minister Luxon's official visit came as Vietnam and New Zealand celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1975 - 2025). Its outcomes demonstrate significant development of bilateral ties and profound strategic trust between the two nations, creating a solid framework to bring bilateral relations to a new phase.

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(Source: WVR/VNA)