The message was highlighted at the Vietnam-New Zealand Business Roundtable in New Zealand on August 13 (local time), where businesses and officials from both sides discussed opportunities in technology, aviation, market connectivity and innovation.

New Zealand Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay affirmed Vietnam is one of New Zealand’s most important partners in Southeast Asia, citing its large market, young and increasingly skilled workforce, growing middle class and deep integration into global trade.

Vietnam has become a real success story in the region, McClay said, adding that the country’s rapid economic transformation is creating new opportunities for international cooperation and investment.

He said growth in the new phase would be driven not only by trade and manufacturing but increasingly by innovation, technology, skills, research and production, areas where New Zealand could become a partner for Vietnam.

From trade to deeper value-chain cooperation

Speaking at the business roundtable, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, who is on a state visit to New Zealand, pointed out that the two countries are highly complementary economies, with each possessing strengths that could support the other’s development.

New Zealand has strengths in modern agriculture, food technology, education, research, the green economy and innovation, while Vietnam has a market of more than 100 million consumers, a young workforce and increasingly developed production capacity.

The Vietnamese leader said these advantages should be translated into new forms of cooperation, moving beyond trade toward joint investment, research, product development and deeper participation in regional and global value chains.

Agriculture and food production were highlighted as areas with substantial room for further cooperation. He called for closer collaboration along green value chains, while continuing efforts to address standards, quarantine and market-access barriers.

The goal, he said, should not only be to increase trade but also to build greener, more transparent, sustainable and resilient supply chains.

New growth drivers in technology and innovation

Science and technology, innovation and green transformation were also mentioned as areas where the two sides could develop new growth drivers.

Vietnam is undergoing major changes to its growth model, with science and technology, innovation, digital and green transformation and high-quality human resources identified as key drivers of development.

Against this backdrop, the Vietnamese leader called on New Zealand businesses to view Vietnam not only as a market but also as a partner for research, product development, production and innovation in Southeast Asia.

Vietnam, he said, is ready to serve as a gateway for New Zealand businesses to expand into ASEAN, while New Zealand can provide a bridge for Vietnamese businesses to participate more deeply in high-quality value chains in the Pacific region.

Building an ecosystem around talent and innovation

The Vietnamese leader also stressed that sustainable economic cooperation requires high-quality human resources.

He called on universities, research institutes and businesses from the two countries to expand cooperation in training, applied research, technology transfer, skills development and innovation, with closer links to business needs.

The aim is to build an ecosystem in which knowledge can be transformed into technology, technology into products, and products into new value for the economy and society.

The top leader affirmed that the Government’s role is to create a favourable environment, remove barriers and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of businesses.

Vietnam is committed to continuing to improve its investment environment in a stable, transparent and competitive manner and to facilitating long-term and effective investment by New Zealand businesses, particularly in high-tech agriculture, food processing, education, science and technology, innovation and the green economy.

He also encouraged Vietnamese businesses to take a more proactive approach to the New Zealand market, moving beyond trade toward joint investment, research, brand building and market development.

The business community, he stressed, has a key role to play in turning potential into projects, technology into products and opportunities into new sources of value for both economies.

At the business roundtable, the two countries also exchanged cooperation documents in the presence of the Vietnamese Minister of Finance and New Zealand Minister for Trade and Investment.