Vietnam plays a strong role in shaping strategic directions of ASEAN: New Zealand's Ambassador
WVR - New Zeland’s Ambassador to Vietnam Caroline Beresford believed that with Viet Nam’s continued support and coordination, the ASEAN-New Zealand partnership will grow stronger, soon upgrade to new level and deliver tangible benefits to both our communities.
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| New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon delivered a speech at the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025 in February 2025. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently attended the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025, demonstrating support for Vietnam’s initiatives within ASEAN. How would you assess Vietnam’s efforts in advancing this initiative?
New Zealand commends Vietnam’s leadership in launching the ASEAN Future Forum, which has quickly become a premier platform for strategic dialogue on ASEAN’s future. We were very pleased to have our Prime Minister, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, as a keynote speaker at the 2025 ASEAN Future Forum in Ha Noi.
In his speech, our Prime Minister celebrated the successes of 50 years of ASEAN-New Zealand dialogue relations in the areas of trade, development, security and people-to-people links.
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| New Zealand’s Ambassador to Vietnam Caroline Beresford. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Our Prime Minister delivered a clear message that New Zealand attaches great importance to the region. He described New Zealand’s relationship with ASEAN as “an essential pillar” of the New Zealand Government’s “absolute priority” to maintain strong and effective ties across the Indo-Pacific. He also emphasised New Zealand’s commitment to ASEAN centrality, to supporting ASEAN architecture, and to deepening and expanding areas of cooperation.
Vietnam’s proactive role in shaping this initiative underlines its deep commitment to strengthening meaningful engagement with external partners. It was great that the Forum brought together political leaders, officials, business leaders, academics, and other stakeholders – a diverse audience with a shared commitment to the region.
It is evident that Vietnam is working hard to support ASEAN’s current priorities as outlined in the recently adopted ASEAN Community Vision 2045: Our Shared Future. We see this aligning closely with New Zealand’s priorities around supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific, which ASEAN plays a central role in.
Could you please share your thoughts on Vietnam’s roles in fostering partnership of ASEAN-New Zealand, especially as the coordinator of ASEAN-New Zealand dialogue partnership? Your expectations for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN in the coming time?
Vietnam has helped to enhance the ASEAN-New Zealand relationship. Under Vietnam’s ASEAN 2010 Chairmanship, the second New Zealand plus ASEAN Summit was held in Hanoi. Ten years later, under Vietnam’s ASEAN 2020 Chairmanship, Viet Nam successfully organised the virtual ASEAN - New Zealand Leaders’ Commemorative Summit to commemorate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN - New Zealand dialogue relations, proceeding despite the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnam is currently playing a pivotal role as the current ASEAN Country Coordinator for New Zealand. We deeply value working with Viet Nam as we seek to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) with ASEAN in 2025, and we look forward to continuing our close relationship with Viet Nam as our country coordinator over the next 2 years.
We deeply value working with Viet Nam as we seek to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) with ASEAN in 2025.
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| Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son chaired the ASEAN-New Zealand Ministerial Meeting, held within the framework of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 58) on July 10 in Malaysia. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Recently in Kuala Lumpur, H.E. Mr Bui Thanh Son, Viet Nam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and New Zealand Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters co-chaired the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with New Zealand, and participated together in the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum. During these meetings, Minister Peters delivered New Zealand’s positions on key regional issues, highlighted the importance of strengthening ASEAN-New Zealand relations, and held bilateral meetings with several regional foreign ministers.
New Zealand has enjoyed a history of genuine friendship with ASEAN for 50 years and we are committed to investing more into our relationships in Southeast Asia. This is why we are pursuing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN; one that is meaningful, substantive, mutually beneficial and reflects New Zealand’s character as a longstanding partner to ASEAN.
A whakatauki (Māori saying) puts this aptly: Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua (“reflecting on our past, looking towards our future”).
We wish to celebrate the enduring areas of success in our partnership, including trade and economic integration, maritime security, education and training for the public service, peace and stability initiatives, environmental resilience, and knowledge-sharing opportunities for young business leaders.
We know that elevation to CSP must mark a step change in our relationship. We are confident that with Viet Nam’s continued support and coordination, the ASEAN-New Zealand partnership will grow stronger and deliver tangible benefits to both our communities.
With Vietnam’s rise in the new era, what are your expectations of Vietnam to contribute to ASEAN’s development and ASEAN’s relations with its partners?
We would like to congratulate Vietnam on the 30th anniversary of its accession to ASEAN.
Since Vietnam officially joined ASEAN in 1995, its economy has grown 20-fold, and it is now amongst the world’s 40 largest economies. Its dynamic growth, position as a manufacturing powerhouse, and broad free trade network, has made it a key player in regional and global economic integration.
Vietnam has an opportunity to use its influence as a regional leader to further ASEAN goals of regional trade and economic integration, both through ASEAN and as incoming Chair of two pieces of important regional architecture; CPTPP in 2026, and APEC in 2027.
We expect Vietnam to continue playing a strong role in shaping ASEAN’s strategic direction, supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific especially at a time of global uncertainty.
We look forward to Vietnam’s ongoing contribution to regional prosperity through digital transformation, green growth, and connectivity – leveraging its competitive position as a young, tech savvy, industrious nation.
New Zealand looks forward to deepening our partnership with Viet Nam and ASEAN in this shared journey.
Thanks the Ambassador!
