Top Vietnamese, New Zealander legislators hold talks

The top Vietnamese legislator asserted that Viet Nam always attaches importance and gives high priority to strengthening ties with New Zealand via the Party, government and parliamentary channels and people-to-people exchanges.

Both sides vowed to further strengthen economic-trade-investment ties, making it a development impetus of the two countries' relations.

The two sides agreed that the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which both nations have joined, are crucial frameworks for the two countries to foster economic ties.

Besides traditional sectors such as education-training, tourism, culture, sports, labor and agro-aquatic-forestry, the two nations should expand collaboration to other potential areas including digital transformation, energy transition and climate change adaption, they noted.

The hosts and the guest spoke highly of the cooperative relations between the two legislative bodies in both bilateral and multilateral aspects, highlighting the important role of the parliaments in enhancing the bilateral relationship.

They pledged to consider signing a cooperation agreement between the two parliaments to create a legal framework to deepen their relations in the time ahead.

Both sides agreed to continue promoting delegation exchanges, particularly high-ranking ones between their legislative bodies.

They pedged to maintain consultation and enhance mutual support at multi-lateral mechanisms and international and regional parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF).

The same day, Vuong had a meeting with New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern./.