PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc leaves for visits to New Zealand, Australia

The Vietnamese PM will also make an official visit to Australia and attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydney from March 14-18 at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

PM Phuc is accompanied by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Trade and Industry Tran Tuan Anh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, and head of the National Assembly Ombudsman Committee Nguyen Thanh Hai, among others.

Vietnam and New Zealand set up diplomatic relations in 1975. Vietnam is New Zealand’s 16th largest trade partner with the two-way trade hitting about US$1.2 billion in 2017. The two nations aim to raise bilateral trade to US$1.7 billion by 2020, making economic cooperation a pillar of their relationship.

Meanwhile, Vietnam and Australia have celebrated the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic ties early this year.

The two nations are enjoying sound bilateral trade with average annual growth standing at 12.5% and trade value hitting over US$9 billion in 2017. Australia has landed 378 projects valued at US$1.7 billion in Vietnam, focusing on industry and construction, services, education, processing industry and agro-forestry-fisheries sector.

Vietnam and Australia are expected to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership during Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit.