The view was shared by New Zealand Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam during their meeting in Auckland on August 13 following the formal welcome ceremony for the latter on a three-day state visit.  

Governor-General Kiro welcomed Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on the state visit to New Zealand, expressing her appreciation for the development of bilateral relations and the growing connections between the two peoples.

She noted that the relationship was built not only on strong political trust but also on people-to-people links, particularly the Vietnamese community of around 15,000 in New Zealand.

The Governor-General highlighted the community's contribution to New Zealand society and its role in maintaining cultural connections with Vietnam.

Referring to two lines of Vietnamese poet Che Lan Vien's poem about how a place can become part of one's soul, she said they reflected the feelings of Vietnamese people who have chosen New Zealand as a second home while continuing to maintain their attachment to their homeland.

She also spoke warmly about her interest in Vietnamese culture and cuisine, saying that the relationship between the two countries was built not only through their governments but also through universities, families and communities.

Education as a bridge between the two peoples

Education emerged as one of the key areas discussed during the meeting. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam thanked New Zealand for its long-standing support for Vietnam, particularly in human resource development, education, agriculture and climate change response.

He expressed hope that New Zealand would continue to accompany Vietnam in its development and proposed that Governor-General Kiro support cooperation programmes in education, agriculture, climate change response and gender equality.

He also asked New Zealand to support Vietnam in English-language teaching, contributing to the country's plan to promote English as a second language.

Governor-General Kiro welcomed the proposals and stressed the importance of education in improving people's lives.

Drawing on her own experience as a university lecturer, she said she would continue to pay attention to development cooperation between the two countries, particularly in education, which she regards as an important bridge between the two countries and their peoples.

The emphasis on education adds a practical dimension to the broader bilateral relationship, linking cooperation in human resources with the long-standing people-to-people connections between Vietnam and New Zealand.

Supporting the Vietnamese community

The two sides also highlighted the role of the Vietnamese community in New Zealand as a bridge between the two countries.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam said the approximately 15,000 Vietnamese people living in New Zealand are an important link in bilateral friendship and expressed his hope that the New Zealand authorities would continue creating favourable conditions for the community to grow and contribute further to New Zealand society and bilateral relations.

Governor-General Kiro similarly emphasised the importance of people-to-people connections, noting that families, communities and educational institutions had helped create a relationship that went beyond government-to-government ties.

These community connections, the two sides agreed, provide an important foundation for broader cooperation and mutual understanding.

From bilateral ties to wider regional cooperation

The meeting also touched on the two countries' cooperation in regional and multilateral affairs.

The two sides agreed to move the Vietnam-New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into a new phase and continue coordinating and supporting each other at multilateral forums, contributing to a peaceful, stable and cooperative regional and international environment.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam said Vietnam, as coordinator of ASEAN-New Zealand relations for 2024-2027, would make every effort to help strengthen the bilateral relationship.

Governor-General Kiro expressed appreciation for Vietnam's support in this role and noted that the two countries have considerable potential not only for bilateral cooperation but also for collaboration on multilateral issues.

The meeting also underscored the potential for the relationship to develop through areas that directly connect the two societies, from education and community links to development cooperation and regional coordination.

At the meeting, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam invited Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro to visit Vietnam. Governor-General Kiro thanked him for the invitation and accepted it, expressing her wish to visit Vietnam soon and reiterating her affection for the country and its people.