Cooperation in cultural exchanges, trade, and investment remains a focus in Hanoi-New Zealand relations.

Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong and New Zealand’s Ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Dobson. Photos: The Hanoi Times

This view was shared at a meeting today [September 19] between the Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong and New Zealand’s Ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Dobson.

During the meeting, Phong underscored the strong and longstanding relationship between Vietnam and New Zealand, focusing on the close ties between Hanoi and Wellington. He mentioned that these two cities signed a cooperation memorandum in 2015.

Building on this foundation, Phong announced that a delegation of city leaders will visit  New Zealand in early October. Their mission will be to engage with New Zealand's municipalities, particularly Wellington, to explore collaboration opportunities for cooperation in areas such as education, cultural exchange, trade promotion, investment, and sharing experiences related to the development of a Creative City. Both capitals are also part of the UNESCO network with the same designation.

Phong outlined Hanoi's development objectives, including investing in enhancing the city's technical infrastructure and digital information systems.

In addition, Hanoi is keen on innovation-driven growth models that rely on science, technology, innovation, and a highly skilled workforce, he said.

Another focus is the city’s commitment to refining the legal framework and policy mechanisms to ensure rapid and sustainable development of the capital.

“In this endeavor, Hanoi is eager to draw on the expertise and insights of its international partners, including New Zealand,” he noted.

The Hanoi’s deputy party chief also reiterated  Hanoi's aspiration to expand its reach and find new export markets. As the country's primary economic hub, with an estimated economic scale of $50 billion by 2022, Hanoi boasts a wide range of export products, including electronics, machinery, and garments, and a rich tapestry of 1,300 traditional craft villages spanning various product categories.

Delving deeper into the cooperation between Hanoi and New Zealand localities, Phong acknowledged that there remains untapped potential despite the existing collaboration. The two sides have ample opportunities for further expansion in education, cultural exchange, import-export development, trade, and investment. He stressed that their primary objective is to foster connections and enhance the substance of this cooperation.

Specifically, concerning education – a strong suit for New Zealand and a promising area for cooperation – Phong highlighted that Hanoi, with its 2.3 million students at all levels, has a significant demand for English language training. Hanoi is keen to move forward in this field and expand support for English language training for teachers and civil servants in the city. Furthermore, there is considerable potential for collaboration between universities and colleges.

Overview of the meeting.

In terms of cultural exchange and people-to-people interaction, Phong pointed out that Vietnam, and Hanoi in particular, possess a rich cultural heritage and a vibrant, open-minded younger generation that actively embraces and engages with cultures from around the world. This offers ample opportunities for cooperation between Hanoi and Wellington. Hanoi has experience in organizing international cultural events and stands ready to facilitate and enhance cultural exchanges between Vietnam and New Zealand.

New Zealand Ambassador Tredene Dobson expressed her excitement about the upcoming visit of Hanoi’s leadership delegation to New Zealand, saying this is a chance for both sides to deepen their sharing of experiences and open new avenues for cooperation.

Ambassador Tredene Dobson echoed the Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee's remarks, noting that the relationship between the two countries is progressing well and building on traditional pillars such as education, trade, and cooperation. The promising outcomes in these areas suggest further potential for tightening cooperation in people-to-people exchanges and cultural interactions.

Highlighting the similarities in the development vision between Hanoi and Wellington, along with the complementary nature of their challenges as urban areas, the Ambassador emphasized that the potential for collaboration between the two sides remains significant.

Additionally, the Ambassador identified two areas of significant potential for cooperation between Hanoi and Wellington: the commercial entertainment industry and the technology sector, which are strengths of both cities and areas of common interest.

Moreover, the two capitals face common challenges in sustainable urban development and responding to climate change, making it possible for them to share valuable experiences on these critical topics, she noted.