During talks on Monday morning, the two agreed to continue to promote the 2021-2024 action plan for implementing the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnership and build an action plan for the new period.

They agreed to expand cooperation in economy-trade-investment, security-defence, agriculture, and people-to-people interaction; foster economic, trade, and investment ties; and raise their trade revenue to 2 billion USD this year and 3 billion USD by 2026.

Mr. Chinh called on New Zealand to continue to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese farm produce, including longans, lychees, bananas, and flowers to enter the New Zealand market, and increase investment in smart agriculture, risk management, natural disaster response, education-training, and renewable energy in Vietnam.

At the talks, PM Christopher Luxon announced the launch of the third phase of a project to develop high-quality fruit varieties worth more than 3.8 million USD to help small-scale passion fruit farmers and other stakeholders in value chains to increase productivity.

The two PMs agreed to maintain mutual support at regional and global forums, reaffirmed the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, and addressing disputes by peaceful means, on the basis of respect for international law.

They agreed to share information and strengthen maritime cooperation, and strive together to turn the East Sea into a sea of peace, stability, friendship, cooperation and development.

Both leaders witnessed the signing of several important documents on cooperation in finance, trade, and education.

Addressing a press conference following the talks, PM Chinh said that they discussed areas of cooperation comprehensively and set out major orientations to make the bilateral strategic partnership grow and upgrade it to a new level.

“I’d like to summarize the talk with 3 pairs of keywords: ‘stabilize and consolidate’, ‘strengthen and expand’, and ‘accelerate and break through’,” said Mr. Chinh.

Prime Minister Luxon said the two sides made commitments to jointly build an Asia-Pacific region of peace, stability, cooperation, and development to benefit the two countries and their people.

Vietnam and New Zealand pledged to promote comprehensive relations in politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.