Bright outlook in Vietnam-New Zealand cooperative relations

The Asia Media Centre in New Zealand ran an article on July 23 covering the formal elevation of Vietnam-New Zealand ties to a strategic partnership level, expressing its belief in the opportunities and potential of this relationship in the future.

The article quoted expert Mitchell Pham, chair of the Digital Council for Aotearoa, member of the Asia Society’s Global Council and director of Augen Software Group, as saying that developing the relationship to the level of strategic partnership is a very “exciting step forward”.

This means the two governments will be working much more closely on opportunities from which both countries can benefit, he said.

As one of the entrepreneurs doing business and travelling regularly in both Vietnam and New Zealand, Mitchell Pham stated that he felt “a palpable positive vibe and a high level of interest” between the two countries. He expressed his belief that trade relations and person to person connections between Vietnam and New Zealand will be further strengthened, bringing new business opportunities for both sides.

Inspired by the announcement of the strategic partnership, Mitchell Pham said he would like to “see the two governments establish an environment and ecosystem for the industry, business and community to collaborate between the two countries.”

The article also cited Warrick Cleine, chairman and CEO of KPMG in Vietnam and chairman of New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, as stating that the latest announcement by the leaders of the two sides represents a “step-change” in the bilateral relationship.

The timing of the announcement could not be better, as in the context of the world recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, both New Zealand and Vietnam are rare bright spots, having controlled the health crisis to prevent community spread of the virus, and limited the impact on their domestic economies, he said.

Warrick Cleine stressed the need for New Zealand to build export markets to maintain its economic performance, highlighting the special significance of relatively vibrant economies, such as Vietnam, in that process.

According to him, geopolitics and the diversification of supply chains are increasingly relevant in the post-COVID period, and these trends must be understood and responded to, as they impact businesses’ ability to manage risks going forward and how they are perceived globally. This is an issue that both New Zealand and Vietnam – as small trading nations – have in common, he said, noting that the two countries need to protect and participate in a rules-based trading system, and to diversify both their export and import markets.

The Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnership was announced by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern during their virtual talks on July 22. It was set up amid the 45th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties as well as the positive and sustainable development of the comprehensive partnership founded in 2009, and based on the shared common interest and vision and the growing mutual trust between the two nations.

Source: Nhan Dan Online