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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) shakes hands with members of the VietTech NZ group__Photo: VNA |
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working session with the group of Vietnamese professionals working in New Zealand (VietTech NZ) in Auckland on March 10 as part of his official visit to NZ.
The group’s representatives introduced the Government leader to the potential and specific projects and programs that they have been implementing to support Vietnam or cooperating with Vietnamese partners in various areas such as sci-tech, education-training, health care, energy, trade, planning and environment.
They proposed that the Vietnamese Government create suitable mechanisms and methods to enable overseas Vietnamese to participate in domestic incubators and vice versa, while supporting the development of a global network of Vietnamese scientists, including those in NZ.
They also suggested that Vietnam re-open air routes to NA and exempt visa to facilitate travelling of NZ-based Vietnamese intellectuals to Vietnam for cooperation.
PM Chinh appreciated their suggestions and assigned relevant agencies to consider measures to enhance connectivity with overseas Vietnamese intellectuals.
Noting that there is great room for sci-tech cooperation between Vietnam and NZ to expand, Chinh asked the VietTech NZ to play a greater role in connecting the technology community between Vietnam and NZ, and strengthen their connection with the Global Forum of Vietnamese Young Intellectuals so as to contribute more effectively to Vietnam’s development.
He also requested the group to engage in joint research and cooperative activities in science-technology, digital transformation, agriculture, climate change response, biology, health care, among others, with Vietnamese partners.
The same day, the PM received Professor Neil Quigley, Vice Chancellor of Waikato University and Chair of the Reserve Bank of NZ.
Chinh appreciated the Waikato University’s close cooperation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training and joint programs with Vietnamese universities.
He proposed that the university expand cooperation in human resource development with Vietnam through such activities as opening more branches in Vietnam, granting scholarships, and exchanging lecturers and teaching curricula.
PM Chinh also ask Prof Quigley, in his position as Chair of the Reserve Bank of NZ, to support cooperation and experience sharing with Vietnam in building macro policies in governing interest rate and foreign exchange, credit and banking, and give advice to Vietnam in striving to become a financial hub in Southeast Asia.
Prof. Quigley expressed his support of the Vietnamese PM’s suggestion, saying that he appreciated Vietnam’s macroeconomic governance, monetary policy and inflation control measures.
On the occasion, Waikato University and several Vietnamese universities exchanged four cooperation agreements and Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son presented the “For the Cause of Vietnam’s Education” insignia to Prof. Quigley.
PM Chinh also hosted a reception for Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges and executives of several NZ companies on March 10, during which he called for the business community’s resolve and efforts to raise bilateral trade to USD 2 billion.
He affirmed that the fields which NZ firms are interested in in Vietnam have great potential and are in line with Vietnam’s priorities, urging NZ firms to continue working with Vietnamese ministries and agencies on specific projects.
The NZ business delegates asked the Vietnamese Government to continue creating favorable conditions for investment and business activities in Vietnamese, citing some areas such as renewable energy, real estate, aviation and fruit and vegetables trade.- (VNA/VLLF)
