New Zealand and Viet Nam sign bilateral "Action Plan"

Foreign Ministers sign the bilateral Action Plan in Hanoi, 21 July

The relationship between New Zealand and Viet Nam took another significant step forward on 21 July when both countries agreed on an Action Plan to give effect to our bilateral Comprehensive Partnership established in September 2009.

New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Murray McCully and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr Pham Gia Khiem signed the Action Plan in Hanoi, in the margins of ASEAN meetings taking place here during Viet Nam’s year as ASEAN Chair.

The Action Plan identifies specific initiatives and activities that New Zealand and Viet Nam will undertake in the period 2010 to 2013 to broaden and deepen bilateral cooperation and partnership. This includes initiatives in areas such as high-level visits, defence and security, trade and investment, development assistance, education, science and technology, agriculture, people-to-people links, international law and human rights, and cooperation in regional and multilateral fora.

Minister McCully described the Plan as “an ambitious document, but one which will guide the relationship to ensure that the excellent bilateral cooperation that we already enjoy achieves its full potential”.

The New Zealand – Viet Nam Comprehensive Partnership was established by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Viet Nam’s Communist Party General Secretary H.E. Mr Nong Duc Manh, during General Secretary Manh’s visit to New Zealand last year.