BINH DINH (VNS) — New Zealand will orient its cooperation with Viet Nam to a strategic partnership with the intensive development of projects in central Binh Dinh province.

The statement was made by New Zealand Ambassador to Viet Nam Haike Manning at a press briefing in Binh Dinh's capital city of Quy Nhon city on Wednesday.

Speaking about New Zealand 's cooperation programmes and projects in the province, the ambassador highly valued their effectiveness.

New Zealand's cooperation projects in Binh Dinh will focus on three key areas, including education and research, trade and working holiday scheme (WHS) for local youths in New Zealand, he said.

Manning said his country will continue providing graduate and post-graduate scholarships for Viet Nam's State officials and university lecturers.

It will also organise research cooperation programmes between the two countries' universities and institutes as well as between Binh Dinh and organisations in New Zealand, he added.

Regarding healthcare, New Zealand is ready to help Binh Dinh train its medical staff, he noted.

According to the ambassador, the two sides may cooperate in woodwork production as Binh Dinh boasts strength in processing timber and forest products and New Zealand can provide a large amount of wood materials.

Currently, two New Zealand-funded projects have been effectively implemented in the province, including the US$1.7 million project on sustainable rural livelihood and the other on modernising land management using over $12 million from the World Bank's loan.

On the occasion, the New Zealand ambassador conducted a fact-finding tour of two other projects on improving the quality and use of mother and child health care services, and pre-school education in the province. — VNS