PM welcomes visit of Viet Nam Prime Minister

Prime Minister John Key has announced a two-day visit to New Zealand by Viet Nam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Prime Minister Dung and a delegation of more than 100 senior ministers and business leaders will arrive in Auckland on Thursday for events including a bi-lateral meeting with Mr Key and senior ministers as well as meetings with New Zealand business leaders.

“Prime Minister Dung’s visit is an important opportunity to mark 40 years of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Viet Nam which we celebrate in 2015,” says Mr Key.

“The relationship between our two countries is growing increasingly important and the visit by one of the largest-ever delegations from Viet Nam to New Zealand is evidence of that.

“Viet Nam is New Zealand’s fastest-growing export market in South East Asia and export volumes continue to grow at pace. During the visit we will celebrate the growing relationship between our countries and discuss how to build on that in areas such as education, agriculture and UN peacekeeping cooperation.”

Prime Minister Dung will arrive in Auckland on Thursday 19 March with his wife, Madame Tran Thanh Kiem, ahead of his bi-lateral meeting with Mr Key and New Zealand ministers.

He will also be guest of honour at a breakfast with New Zealand business leaders and will attend an event at the Auckland University of Technology showcasing the important education ties between our two countries.