Policy Adviser

Our relationship with Viet Nam

On 22 July 2020, New Zealand and Viet Nam upgraded the bilateral relationship to one of “Strategic Partnership” in recognition of strong growth in our political, trade, defence and security, and people-to-people links. The Strategic Partnership is aimed at further strengthening the overarching framework for engagement and cooperation between New Zealand and Viet Nam. It comes as New Zealand and Viet Nam mark 45 years of diplomatic relations.

Trade between New Zealand and Viet Nam has grown rapidly in recent years, reaching over NZ$2 billion in the year ending March 2020. Viet Nam is projected to be one of the fastest growing economies in Asia in the next few years.

Trade

2020 statistics

Total trade in goods and services	NZ$2.05 billion
Exports to Viet Nam	NZ$968 million;	Top exports: Dairy products, fruit, forestry and education services.
Imports from Viet Nam	NZ$1.08 billion	Top imports: electronic machinery, footwear, travel services.
GDP	US$337.2 billion
GDP per capita	US$3,497
GDP growth	6.9%

Since the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) was signed in 2009, two-way trade with Viet Nam has grown by more than 300%, and is now in excess of NZ $2 billion. Goods trade accounts for much of that total, but there has also been strong growth in New Zealand's education, tourism and commercial services exports. Over 2,700 Vietnamese studied in New Zealand in 2018. Over 28,000 New Zealanders visited Viet Nam in 2019.

Free trade agreements with Viet Nam

We have two regional free trade agreements that include Viet Nam:

We're also negotiating another regional free trade agreement that includes Viet Nam:

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

Working Holiday Scheme

New Zealanders aged between 18 and 30 can apply for a 12-month working holiday visa for Viet Nam.

For more information, read the Viet Nam Government website(external link).

Aid

The New Zealand Aid Programme in Viet Nam is guided by our relationship with ASEAN. Our aid programme in ASEAN countries is about using New Zealand’s expertise in economic resilience, climate resilience, and knowledge and skills, to support sustainable economic development.

Find out about our aid programme with ASEAN

Embassies

New Zealand is represented in Viet Nam by the New Zealand Embassy, Ha Noi
There is also a New Zealand Consulate-General, Ho Chi Minh City
Viet Nam is represented in New Zealand by the Viet Nam Embassy, Wellington(external link)

Recent official visits

New Zealand to Viet Nam

July 2020: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met virtually with Viet Nam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to elevate the bilateral relationship to Strategic Partnership, commemorate 45 years of diplomatic relaitons, and to discuss bilateral and regional issues.
October 2019: Minister of Finance Grant Robertson visited Viet Nam to reinforce the growth in the bilateral relationship and identify new areas of cooperation.
November 2017: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Foreign Minister Winston Peters, and Trade Minister David Parker attended APEC in Da Nang, Viet Nam.
May 2017: Minister of Trade Todd McClay visited Ha Noi, meeting Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh.
April 2017: Minister Murray McCully visited Viet Nam as his final official visit as Foreign Minister. Minister McCully meet with President Tran Dai Quang, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and allowed him to launch New Zealand’s dam safety project.
June 2016: Minister Steven Joyce visited Viet Nam to celebrate the inaugural Air New Zealand flight between Auckland and Ho Chi Minh City and further our connections in the education, aviation and tech sectors.

Viet Nam to New Zealand

November 2019: Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung visited New Zealand, meeting with Minister for Trade David Parker, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Trevor Mallard.
November 2019: Minister of Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich visited New Zealand and met with Minister of Defence Ron Mark to discuss our defence and security relationship.
March 2018: Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited New Zealand with six senior Ministers and a large business delegation for official talks with New Zealand Ministerial counterparts and the New Zealand business community.
July 2017: Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue visited Wellington, meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gerry Brownlee, Minister of Finance Steven Joyce, and Minister of Trade Todd McClay.
November 2016: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh visited Wellington and Auckland, meeting with both Prime Minister Bill English and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully.