Vietnam, New Zealand target $2 bln two-way trade
Vietnam and New Zealand are seeking to boost their bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2024 from last year’s $1.3 billion.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern agreed upon the target during their talks in Hanoi Monday. She is on a four-day visit starting the same day on a trade mission with a delegation of 18 business leaders.

New Zealand’s PM Jacinda Ardern (C) receives welcome flowers from a little girl in Hanoi on November 14, 2022. Vietnam’s PM Pham Minh Chinh stands next to Ardern. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency.
Speaking to the press after the talks, PM Chinh said he and Ardern held successful talks in which they expressed their delight at the two countries' growing bilateral strategic partnership, especially in two-way trade.
He said both sides agreed they would open their markets wider for several fruits from each side. They lauded the signing of two cooperation deals in education and aviation, and the organization of a workshop on higher-education cooperation between universities.
The two premiers also laid out orientations to further deepening the nations’ strategic partnership for the benefit of each country and for peace, prosperity, cooperation, and development in the Asia-Pacific region.
The two countries will facilitate all-level visits, and promote people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges, while effectively implementing existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
The Vietnamese PM said both nations would continue to step up national defense-security links to effectively cope with rising traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region, like transnational crimes, terrorism, natural disasters, and epidemics.
Looking to $2 billion in bilateral trade by 2024, the two leaders pledged to continue facilitating market access for agricultural products, work closely together to effectively implement agreements like the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to which both are members.
Vietnam welcomes New Zealand’s investment in fields of high demand such as education, training, manufacturing and processing, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, construction, information technology, and post-harvest processing technology, Chinh said.
Speaking to the press, New Zealand PM Ardern said both sides pledged to enhance relations in politics, diplomacy, security, trade, investment, climate change response, and people-to-people exchanges to ensure the security, safety, and prosperity of each country.
She said New Zealand decided to expand a project to help Vietnam mitigate dyke disaster risks, and remained ready to assist Vietnam in sustainable eco-friendly agriculture development and climate change response to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The premiers exchanged the jerseys of each country’s women’s football teams, hoping both team will play well at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted by New Zealand and Australia. The Vietnamese women’s team will make their World Cup competitions for the first time ever.
Chinh and Ardern later witnessed the signing of two cooperation agreements between Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training and New Zealand’s Ministry of Education, and between the two ministries of transport.
Vietnam and New Zealand upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership in 2020, and have since achieved numerous advancements, including a bilateral trade value of $1.3 billion in 2021, up 26.7% from a year earlier, according to official data.
New Zealand has pledged to provide Vietnam with around $16 million worth of official development assistance (ODA) between July 2021 and June 2024.
- Read More
Thailand, Australia boost ties in transport, logistics
Thailand and Australia are seeking to strengthen cooperation in transport infrastructure and carbon emission reduction in the logistics sector.
Southeast Asia - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 8:20 pm GMT+7
China surpasses US as biggest importer of Vietnamese shrimp
China imported $834 million worth of Vietnamese shrimp last year, surpassing the U.S. to become the largest buyer of this item from Vietnam, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Economy - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 7:51 pm GMT+7
Malaysia, S Korea resume FTA talks
Malaysia and South Korea are set to hold their seventh round of negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) as they look to expand their trade portfolio and strengthen cooperation, according to the latter's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Southeast Asia - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 5:23 pm GMT+7
Indonesia to launch new sovereign wealth fund this month
Indonesia will launch a new sovereign wealth fund called Danantara this month, with an initial capital of around $20 billion.
Southeast Asia - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 5:19 pm GMT+7
Singapore's Billion Union builds $70 mln fabric factory in Vietnam
Hong Kong-invested Thanh Hoa Billion Union Textile kicked off the construction of a $70 million factory in Vietnam’s central province of Thanh Hoa on Monday.
Industries - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 5:04 pm GMT+7
Vietnam’s construction ministry plans real estate exchanges for improved transparency
The Vietnamese Ministry of Construction is advancing a plan to establish real estate exchanges, similar to the stock market, in a bid to enhance transparency and efficiency in property transactions.
Real Estate - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 4:57 pm GMT+7
Vietnam plans to increase electricity imports from China, Laos by 2030
The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) aims to raise electricity imports from China and Laos by 3,000 MW and 2,500 MW by 2030, over 5 times and nearly 1.6 times higher than those stated in the current Power Development Plan VIII (PDP VIII), respectively.
Energy - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 4:14 pm GMT+7
Vietnam urges Turkish contractor to speed up mega Long Thanh airport's terminal construction
Türkiye-based IC ICTAS, the lead contractor of the passenger terminal within the under-construction Long Thanh International Airport, should speed up the construction of the package, said Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha.
Infrastructure - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 3:27 pm GMT+7
Vietnam tech giant FPT to provide high-quality AI human resources
With the groundbreaking of an inter-level school on Sunday, FPT Corporation is completing its education system from elementary to university levels in the south-central province of Binh Dinh, to provide high-quality human resources, particularly in AI.
Companies - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 11:32 am GMT+7
Japan pneumatics firm SMC to start $330 mln Vietnam expansion from July
SMC Manufacturing Vietnam, under Japanese pneumatic instrument producer SMC, aims to start its $330 million expansion in Vietnam from July.
Industries - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 10:47 am GMT+7
Institutional breakthroughs to provide solid foundation for heightened business confidence: economists
At a meeting of the National Assembly's Economic Committee in early February, the government proposed the 2025 GDP growth be "8% or more", instead of 6.5-7% set last November. The Investor introduces opinions of some leading Vietnamese economists on this proposed target.
Economy - Mon, February 17, 2025 | 8:02 am GMT+7
Vietnam consumer credit enters new growth cycle
After the decrease in consumer capital demand, negative growth, and peaking bad debts in 2023, Vietnam’s consumer financial market is entering a new growth cycle, backed by positive signs from the macroeconomic environment.
Finance - Sun, February 16, 2025 | 3:19 pm GMT+7
Vietnam property investors seek new opportunities in provincial markets
Real estate investors in Vietnam, both individuals and organizations, are shifting their investments from city centers to suburban regions and neighboring provinces where land remains abundant and significant investments are being made in infrastructure, particularly in transportation.
Real Estate - Sun, February 16, 2025 | 2:00 pm GMT+7
Five Vietnam pilgrimage destinations perfect for spiritual seekers: Booking.com
Booking.com, the world's leading digital travel company, has suggested some destinations in Vietnam for those seeking spiritual enrichment and a chance for reflection and connection, including Ba Den mountain and Bai Dinh pagoda.
Travel - Sun, February 16, 2025 | 10:59 am GMT+7
Malaysia takes the lead in data center development
Malaysia is making efforts to align with the global trend towards digitalization, which is driving demand for data centers, cloud computing, blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Southeast Asia - Sun, February 16, 2025 | 10:57 am GMT+7
WB sees Thai fiscal risks mounting due to spending surge
Thailand’s pursuit of an expansionary fiscal policy strategy to propel growth faces the risk of rising costs for elderly care, investment and the need to keep public debt level to sustainable levels, according to the World Bank.
Southeast Asia - Sun, February 16, 2025 | 10:41 am GMT+7
- Infrastructure