Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announce the upgrade of Vietnam-New Zealand relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

According to the joint statement, next year, the two sides will develop a Joint Action Program with specific initiatives within the framework of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on strengthening five main pillars of cooperation, including political cooperation; defense, security, maritime cooperation; economics, trade and investment; response to climate change, science and technology; and education and people-to-people exchange.

Both agreed to further deepen the cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand; strengthen channel 2 diplomatic cooperation through promoting regular exchanges on strategic issues between research institutes of the two countries.

They emphasized the importance of sharing information and increasing cooperation in bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual concern; welcomed the organization of the first Maritime Dialogue.

Vietnam and New Zealand agreed to a two-way trade target of 3 billion USD by 2026. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional economic integration; agreed to firmly support the rules-based, free, open, transparent and inclusive multilateral trading system.

Regarding cooperation on climate change, science, and technology, the two sides pledged to support existing initiatives of which they are both members. They committed to continue strengthening cooperation in agriculture to support Vietnam in becoming a modern agricultural production country and adapting to climate change.

New Zealand pledged to increase training support for Vietnamese central and local officials, including English language training. The two sides agreed to strengthen cultural, sports and tourism cooperation.

In the joint statement, the two sides also committed to close cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums.