Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue (right) with Mike Cronin, managing director of Co-operative Affairs at Fonterra. — VNA/VNS Photo Doan Tuan
Trade and investment are major pillars to enhancing the cooperation between Viet Nam and New Zealand, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue said while meeting leaders of New Zealand companies in Auckland on Sunday during his ongoing official visit to the country.
Hosting Mike Cronin, managing director of Co-operative Affairs at Fonterra, Hue lauded the group's joint works with Vietnamese firms such as Vinamilk and Nutifood in the supply and distribution of milk in Viet Nam's market.
Fonterra has been operating in Viet Nam since 1980, specialising in supplying and distributing dairy and food products for restaurant and hotel chains.
Hue urged the group to increase cooperation and investment in Viet Nam, especially in sectors of Viet Nam's strength, such as dairy farming and milk processing. He also hopes for cooperation in training, technology transfer and investment in equipment for Vietnamese farms and partners for high-quality dairy products in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries.
Hue stressed that Viet Nam is continuing to improve the legal system, besides the framework of the free trade agreement between the two countries, to create the best conditions for investors and ensure fair competition.
In response, Cronin praised Viet Nam's increasingly substantive and effective investment attraction policies.
He welcomed Hue's suggestions and would work with the group's leaders to study the opportunities to expand cooperation and investment, especially regarding opening the distribution network in Viet Nam.
He also expected the Vietnamese Government and relevant ministries to create favourable conditions for foreign investors to do business long-term in Viet Nam.
At his meeting with Fiso Investment Group CEO John Fiso and Director of Viet River Holdings Limited Nguyen Truong Khoa, the top legislator welcomed businesses that had joined many networking activities between Vietnamese and New Zealand firms and directly invested in Viet Nam.
He said two key forums on education and trade-economy-investment collaboration scheduled as part of his visit were an opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors of the nations to beef up their ties in the coming time.
Fiso said his group was currently boosting investment again after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on healthcare, education and importing Vietnamese products. Fiso Investment also promoted investment activities to build high schools and vocational facilities in Viet Nam, form labour cooperation, and support Vietnamese businesses to invest in New Zealand.
Khoa said that Viet River Holdings was promoting the importation of Vietnamese pepper and coffee products to New Zealand and wished to bring Vietnamese workers to work in the market.
Hue recommended the businesses propose to the New Zealand Government so that the two governments would soon sign an agreement on labour cooperation, creating a solid legal framework for this field.
NA Chairman Hue also hosted Don Ha, CEO of RE/MAX, one of the major US real estate companies operating through the franchise system and was currently present in more than 110 countries and territories. The RE/MAX New Zealand was established in 1996.
At the meeting, Hue expressed his support for the company's plan to import products of Vietnamese origin, serving the opening of a sales centre and supermarket of household appliances in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, while meeting with the NA leader on Sunday, VietTechNZ's representative proposed connecting Vietnamese and New Zealand companies and their IT personnel. VietTechNZ works to link Vietnamese knowledge networks operating in New Zealand's technology field.
Considering these proposals, Hue said the Vietnamese Party, State, and NA always support and create favourable conditions for the overseas Vietnamese community. — VNS