New Zealand and Viet Nam hold third “Track II” Dialogue

New Zealand and Viet Nam held a third round of our bilateral ‘Track II’ Dialogue in Ha Noi on 17 November.

“Track II” discussions involve academic and researchers from respective countries, as opposed to ‘Track I” contact between governments. New Zealand maintains a number of Track II dialogues with other countries, as a way to introduce new ideas and perspectives to our bilateral relationships. Our dialogue with Viet Nam is significant as our only formal Track II process with an ASEAN member.

Viet Nam’s Track II dialogue coordinator is the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, with New Zealand’s participation coordinated by the Asia New Zealand Foundation (ANZF). This year’s NZ Track II delegation comprised Dr Richard Grant, ANZF Executive Director; Professor Robert Ayson, Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of Centre for Strategic Studies, Victoria University of Wellington (VUW); Professor Xiaoming Huang, Professor of International Relations and Director of New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre, VUW; Dr Andrew Butcher, ANZF Director of Research; and Ms Lucy Coghill, an ANZF “Young Leader”.

The dialogue covered a range of topics including the changing regional/global strategic landscape and implications; regional economic and security architecture and bilateral cooperation. Papers presented during the dialogue and a summary of proceedings will be available in due course on the ANZF website.

During their visit, the New Zealand delegation also called on the Institute for Defence International Relations (IDIR), a research institute attached to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, to exchange views on regional security issues.