At the talks (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Foreign AffairsBui Thanh Son and his New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta discussedstrengthening cooperation within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)forum during their phone talks on October 8.
They also touched upon coordination and preparationsfor the APEC 2021 Leaders' Week, scheduled for November 8-12, and ways topromote relations between the two countries.
The ministers rejoiced at intensive and extensivedevelopments of the bilateral strategic partnership, established in July 2020.
Mahuta spoke highly of achievements Vietnam hasrecorded over the past time, especially in COVID-19 containment andsocio-economic development, and thanked the country for its coordination withNew Zealand and other APEC members in promoting cooperation priorities in the APECYear 2021, when New Zealand plays the host.
She briefed Son on New Zealand’s priorities duringthe APEC 2021 Leaders’ Week, and its agenda, and invited the Vietnameseminister to attend the 32nd APEC Ministerial Meeting slated forNovember 8-9.
For his part, Son congratulated New Zealand on itsachievements in COVID-19 prevention and control, and socio-economic recovery anddevelopment.
The minister thanked and called on New Zealand tocontinue its donations of COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies to Vietnam.
He also lauded New Zealand as the host of APEC 2021as well as its initiatives and contributions to maintaining and fostering APECcollaboration, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Accepting Mahuta’s invitation to attend the 32nd APEC Ministerial Meeting, Son said that as an active and responsible member of APEC, Vietnam will continue its close coordination with New Zealand and other membersto contribute to the success of the APEC 2021 Leaders’ Week.
The ministers agreed to maintain the closecoordination in multilateral cooperation mechanisms to which both countries aremembers, enhance bilateral cooperation, and step up the sharing of informationand policies in such areas as education-training, agriculture and climatechange response./.
VNA
