Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attends Vietnam-New Zealand Business Dialogue

WVR/VNA - On November 15, in Hanoi, within the framework of an official visit to Vietnam, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attended the Vietnam-New Zealand Business Dialogue with the theme "A Strategic Partnership in Trade and Investment".
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attends Vietnam-New Zealand Business Dialogue
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attends Vietnam-New Zealand Business Dialogue with the theme "A Strategic Partnership in Trade and Investment" in Hanoi, on November 15, 2022. (Photo: VNA)

The Dialogue was jointly held by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the New Zealand Embassy in Vietnam. It offered a platform for policy makers and businesses of the two countries to discuss investment and business opportunities and promote the bilateral trade.

In her remarks, Prime Minister Ardern stressed the important role by enterprises in bolstering cooperation between the two countries, and that the bilateral trade and investment ties have been growing despite challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Prime Minister said the two sides shared the belief that bilateral trade will hit 2.4 billion USD by 2024, adding the two economies are reciprocal with suitable products like milk, wood and food.

The two economies have also been connected together through free trade agreements (FTAs) like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and both have effectively materialised these deals, she continued.

The visiting Prime Minister is accompanied by many businesses and representatives from competent agencies of New Zealand, which she called a great opportunity for the two sides to seek ways to foster cooperation in agriculture and other spheres like food, beverage, education, health care, energy, technology, innovation and environmental management.

Prime Minister Ardern used the occasion to invite Vietnamese firms to visit New Zealand to scope out investment and cooperation opportunities in the country.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attends Vietnam-New Zealand Business Dialogue
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attends Vietnam-New Zealand Business Dialogue

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien noted that trade and investment remains an important, priority cooperation area between Vietnam and New Zealand which has yet to be fully tapped.

The two-way trade tripled over the past decade, and it is still growing strongly even amid the regional and global economy and commerce impacted by the pandemic and geo-political uncertainties, he said.

The Minister suggested the two economies tighten their cooperation, and called on New Zealand businesses to invest in such areas as digital economy, digital transformation, new and renewable energy, high-tech agriculture, safe food supply chains, post-harvest preservation technology, and the processing of agricultural and aquatic products in Vietnam.

Participating businesses raised proposals to the two Governments, focusing on further improving the investment environment in both countries.

TIN LIÊN QUAN
President hosts New Zealand Prime Minister
Vietnamese, New Zealand Prime Ministers witness signing of cooperation agreements
Vietnamese, New Zealand Prime Ministers holds talks
Welcome ceremony held for New Zealand Prime Minister
New Zealand PM’s visit to maximize cooperation opportunities with Vietnam: NZ Ambassador
(Source: WVR/VNA)