Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern agreed to raise the two countries’ trade turnover to US$2 billion by 2024 during their talks in Hanoi on Monday.

The two premiers joined talks in the Vietnamese capital on Monday afternoon, as part of PM Ardern’s official visit to Vietnam from Monday through Thursday.

PM Chinh told reporters after the talks he had had a very successful meeting with PM Ardern, and the two sides agreed that the Vietnam - New Zealand strategic partnership is developing effectively.

The two countries will recognize the trade of some fruits in each other's market in the near future.

The two leaders also welcomed the signing of cooperation agreements on education and aviation.

The talks were an opportunity for Vietnam and New Zealand to set out directions for the stronger and deeper growth of the strategic partnership in the coming time, for the benefit of each country and contributing to peace, prosperity, and development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Both sides agreed to continue strengthening defense and security cooperation to effectively respond to traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region.

The two leaders acknowledged various challenges including energy security, food security, information security, transnational crime, terrorism, natural disasters, and epidemics.

These are all global problems, requiring international solidarity, multilateralism, and joint effort on solutions.

The two prime ministers also emphasized the priority of promoting economic cooperation, setting the goal of bringing two-way trade turnover to $2 billion by 2024.

Both countries will further facilitate market access for agricultural products.

An important basis for economic goals between the two countries will be the effective implementation of agreements such as the ASEAN - Australia - New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

PM Ardern thanked her Vietnamese counterpart for giving her and the high-ranking delegation a warm welcome during the visit.

This trip is an opportunity for New Zealand to emphasize the commitment of cooperation between the two countries in ensuring security, safety, and prosperity, she continued.

Vietnam and New Zealand both had to deal with huge challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the two sides also saw opportunities to boost cooperation in many aspects, including politics, diplomacy, people-to-people exchanges, and response to global challenges and climate change.

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