Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Winston Peters co-chaired the 2nd Vietnam-New Zealand Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Photo: baoquocte.vn

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters co-chaired the second joint meeting, a regular cooperation mechanism between the two countries’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The first meeting was held in September 2022 in New Zealand.

At the meeting, the two sides agreed on many specific measures to implement the what was reached during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to New Zealand in March this year. They pledged to coordinate in preparing foreign affairs activities in 2025 when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and five years of the Strategic Partnership. Peters said New Zealand values its relationship with Vietnam and appreciates Vietnam's recent economic achievements.

Both stressed the need to strengthen connectivity, expand market access, effectively deliver on free trade agreement commitments, and soon open direct flights between the two countries.

New Zealand agreed to continue its official development assistance (ODA) and scholarships and welcomed the increase in the number of Vietnamese students.

In particular, the two sides pledged to expand cooperation in clean agriculture, green economy, digital economy, and energy transformation in the Action Program to implement the Strategic Partnership for 2024-2027 to be built soon.

Discussing the regional and global situation, the two FMs agreed to strengthen coordination, especially at the upcoming the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Laos.