(VOVWORLD) - National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and New Zealand Parliament Speaker Gerry Brownlee hold talks on bilateral ties in Hanoi on Thursday.
 National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and New Zealand Parliament Speaker Gerry Brownlee (Photo: VOV) |
During the talks, Chairman Man proposed that the two countries continue to strengthen political relations through high-level visits and exchanges between ministries, sectors, and localities, as well as enhanced interactions between parliamentary committees, friendship groups, and young parliamentarians of the two countries.
He suggested that the two foreign ministries soon finalize the Action Program to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, so as to concretize the framework of the upgraded relationship. He also called on New Zealand to support training and capacity building for Vietnam in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
 At the talks between the high-ranking delegations of the Vietnamese and New Zealand National Assemblies (Photo: VOV) |
The Vietnamese top legislator proposed breakthrough measures to raise bilateral trade to 3 billion USD next year, urging both sides to maximize opportunities from free trade agreements in which they are members, including the CPTPP, RCEP, and the ASEAN–Australia–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA).
He highlighted cooperation in emerging fields such as the green economy, digital economy, and energy transition, where New Zealand has strong expertise, and expressed Vietnam’s interest in learning from New Zealand’s experience in clean and high-tech agriculture. He also encouraged expanding cooperation in education and training, labor, and tourism, as well as opening direct flights to boost people-to-people exchanges.
Speaker Gerry Brownlee stressed that in the current context of complex regional and global security challenges, it is important for the two countries to deepen their bilateral ties. He said New Zealand is ready to consider increasing imports of Vietnam’s key products, thereby raising bilateral trade to 3 billion USD. The two parliamentary leaders also agreed that Vietnam and New Zealand should continue to coordinate closely and support each other at regional and global forums, particularly at the United Nations, ASEAN, and ASEAN-led mechanisms.