Foreign Minister Peters was speaking at a ceremony organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in Wellington to commemorate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (June 19), where he attended as a guest of honor, alongside Deputy Foreign Minister Grahame Morton.

Foreign Deputy Minister Morton called Vietnam a “rising star” and applauded its increasingly important role in the region. The 50th anniversary serves not only to honor past achievements in the Vietnam-New Zealand cooperation, but also to bring new momentum to their relationship.

Also at the ceremony were President of the New Zealand–Vietnam Friendship Association Prof. Roberto Rabel, and representatives from various government agencies, local authorities, businesses, and the Vietnamese communities in New Zealand.