Visits affirm strong ties

Photo source TTXVN

The two blueprints are signed under the witness of New Zealand’s Governor General Jerry Mateparae and Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang during Mateparae’s five-day state visit to Vietnam from August 3-8 at Sang’s invitation.

“Our new action plan will see an increased focus on five areas where there are significant opportunities to strengthen partnerships between our two countries including education, agriculture/agribusiness, environmental management, disaster risk management, aviation and tourism,” said New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Haike Manning.

The second phase of the action plan will be implemented from 2013-2016.

“The double taxation agreement will reduce the cost of doing business between Vietnam and New Zealand by reducing potential tax liabilities for New Zealand and Vietnamese investors and businesses operating in each other’s countries,” he said.

During his visit, Mateparae will hold talks with Sang as well as Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

Mateparae will also preside over the official launch of the new Vietnam-New Zealand premium fruit variety development project  in Ho Chi Minh City to support Vietnam’s sustainable economic development through developing and commercialising high-value fruit.

He will additionally preside over two education functions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with a focus on alumni, as well as promoting New Zealand as an education destination for the next generation of Vietnamese students.

“Education is a key priority for New Zealand in our bilateral relationship with Vietnam,” Manning said. “We want to encourage more Vietnamese students to experience a high quality education in a safe, friendly environment, and we want to develop stronger relationships between New Zealand and Vietnamese institutions here in Vietnam.”

Mateparae’s visit is the second visit to Vietnam by a Governor General of New Zealand.

“The visit will further strengthen ties between New Zealand and Vietnam, and highlight New Zealand’s commitment to building a stronger, deeper partnership with Vietnam across all areas including politics, trade and investment, education, defence and development,” the New Zealand Embassy in Hanoi announced.

Vietnam is now home to 18 New Zealand-invested projects with total registered capital of over $76.3 million. Bilateral trade increased from $525 million in 2011 to $569 million last year. In this year’s first half, the two-way trade reached $335 million, up 18 per cent on-year.

New Zealand’s official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam increased more than four times from $2.56 million in 2003/2004 to $10.5 million in fiscal year 2012/2013, from July 2012 to June 2013. This ODA is focused in human resources development, agricultural and rural development, and sustainable development.

In related news, France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will pay an official visit to Vietnam during August 3-5 to “strengthen bilateral ties” and “make preparations for an official visit to France by Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in September this year,” according to France’s Embassy in Vietnam.