ASEAN and NZ establish Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

The upgrading was announced at the ASEAN–New Zealand Commemorative Summit held in Kuala Lumpur on October 28 and is framed around four key pillars: Peace, Prosperity, People and Planet.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Chair of ASEAN 2025, together with ASEAN leaders and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, acknowledged Viet Nam's active and effective role as country coordinator for ASEAN–New Zealand dialogue relations during the 2024–2027 term.

They praised Viet Nam's coordination in finalizing critical documents that underpin the CSP — the Joint Vision Statement and the 2026–2030 Action Plan — which were adopted at the Summit, laying a strategic foundation for deeper cooperation in the years ahead.

Specifically, the leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to promoting multilateralism, ensuring peace, stability and development cooperation in the region, and working toward an open, transparent, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture with ASEAN at its center.

They also agreed to effectively implement the newly upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), support the implementation of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), and strengthen cooperation in addressing non-traditional security challenges such as cybersecurity, transnational crime, pandemics and climate change. The two sides will also promote digital–green economic integration, enhance digital capabilities for Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and expand cooperation in clean energy, innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI) governance and development.

The leaders further agreed to boost people-to-people exchanges and cultural–educational cooperation through scholarship programs, vocational training, and student exchange initiatives; step up policy and expertise sharing on heritage conservation and the development of cultural and creative industries; advance green transition and sustainable agriculture; improve forecasting and disaster risk reduction capacity; and support enhanced connectivity and narrowing the development gap within ASEAN.

Three priorities for stronger ties

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh underscored the historic significance of the CSP, saying it reflects the maturity and depth of ASEAN–New Zealand cooperation and contributes to strengthening their international roles amid an increasingly volatile global landscape.

Pham proposed three priority areas to effectively operationalize the upgraded partnership.

First, he called for safeguarding peace and stability as the basis for inclusive and sustainable development, upholding an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture, and continuing to support ASEAN's principles on the East Sea.

Second, he called for accelerating economic connectivity and fostering new growth drivers through science, technology and innovation, while implementing the newly upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area and supporting ASEAN in negotiating and executing the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement.

Third, he underscored the need to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, putting people at the centre of cooperation — both as drivers and beneficiaries — by expanding high-quality human resource development and promoting linkages between government, industry and academia under the spirit of a facilitative state, pioneering enterprises and a prosperous, happy society.

New Zealand ramps up support for ASEAN centrality

Prime Minister Luxon reaffirmed that New Zealand—one of ASEAN's earliest partners—attaches great importance to deepening its close, trusted and substantive cooperation with ASEAN and its member states. He reiterated Wellington's strong support for ASEAN unity and centrality and its efforts toward a resilient, inclusive and sustainable ASEAN Community.

New Zealand committed significant resources to help implement the 2026–2030 Action Plan, including: NZD 147 million (USD 84.77 million) in climate finance, NZD 27 million to support development of green technologies, NZD 25 million to establish the ASEAN–New Zealand Vision Fund, advancing economic and environmental cooperation initiatives.

The assistance package will also bolster high-quality training programs and sub-regional collaboration, including in the Mekong area./.