On the evening of June 19, the Embassy of New Zealand in Viet Nam held a celebration, themed “Connecting Stars, Bridging Nations”, in Hanoi to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (June 19, 1975 – 2025).
New Zealand Ambassador to Viet Nam Caroline Beresford delivered a speech at the celebration ceremony. (Photo: NDO)
Speaking at the event, New Zealand Ambassador to Viet Nam Caroline Beresford said: “There is a saying in Māori: Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai — “Nurture the seed and it will grow.” For 50 years we have worked tirelessly together to nurture our friendship, cooperation, and understanding. The seed we planted 50 years ago has grown into a mighty tree with deep roots and strong limbs today.”
Expressing her views on the profound relationship between the two countries, the ambassador stated that Viet Nam and New Zealand enjoy a deep and enduring partnership, anchored in shared interests and approaches to international issues and respect for the rule of law.
“We understand our complementary strengths and know that broad-based cooperation enhances cultural understanding, fosters trust, drives prosperity, and contributes to regional stability,” the diplomat said.
The Gio Xanh Choir performance of the national anthem of New Zealand
Ambassador Caroline Beresford stressed that as Comprehensive Strategic Partners, the impacts of the partnership have been seen in the growing number of Vietnamese students studying in New Zealand; in the premium New Zealand products found in Vietnamese supermarkets; and in the rural communities where New Zealand expertise supports Viet Nam’s development ambitions; contributing to healthcare, education, small holder farming, emissions reduction, and community wellbeing.
In his speech at the event, Minister of Education and Trainning Nguyen Kim Son, on behalf of the Government of Viet Nam, expressed his sincere gratitude to the generations of leaders and people from both countries who have contributed to nurturing the friendship between Viet Nam and New Zealand over the past 50 years.
Minister of Education and Trainning Nguyen Kim Son spoke at the event. (Photo: NDO)
“Over the past half-century, the bilateral relationship has been continuously nurtured, strengthened, and comprehensively developed, making remarkable progress. We established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2009, a Strategic Partnership in 2020, and most recently, in February this year, our relationship was officially elevated to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership—the highest level of diplomatic relations that Viet Nam establishes with a foreign country,” said the minister.
He believes that with the newly established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework, the two countries will continue to write new chapters in the relationship—broader, deeper, and more substantive—bringing concrete benefits to their peoples and contributing meaningfully to a peaceful, stable, and law-based Asia–Pacific region that respects the legitimate interests of all countries.
At the ceremony, the Embassy of New Zealand in Viet Nam also celebrated Matariki, the Māori New Year.
“In New Zealand, Matariki is a time to honour the past, celebrate the present, and look to the future—sentiments that perfectly fit the spirit of the event,” said New Zealand Ambassador to Viet Nam Caroline Beresford.
The Gio Xanh Choir performance of two iconic songs representing New Zealand and Māori culture
At the celebration, guests were treated to a Gio Xanh Choir performance of the national anthems of New Zealand and Vietnam, a Gio Xanh Choir performance of two iconic songs representing New Zealand and Māori culture and performance of traditional Māori song Tūtira mai ngā iwi.
A video commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries was also screened.
New Zealand is one of Viet Nam’s most important partners in the region—with high levels of political trust, reliable and close defence and security cooperation, expanding economic, trade, and investment ties, and continued collaboration in key areas such as agriculture, education, science and technology, and climate change response.
Two-way trade has grown steadily over the years, from 300 million USD in 2009 to over USD 1.3 billion so far—more than a fourfold increase.
(Source: en.nhandan.vn)