Dame Cindy was honoured to officially welcome General Secretary and President of Viet Nam Tô Lâm to Government House Auckland yesterday. This is the first state visit to New Zealand by a President of Viet Nam since 2007.
Viet Nam and New Zealand have been close diplomatic partners for over fifty years, and this visit was a chance to reflect upon our shared histories and future goals as nations of the Indo-Pacific region. Dame Cindy remarked upon the profound value both Viet Nam and New Zealand place on relationships built through face-to-face interaction – kanohi ki te kanohi.
Speaking of the connection between our two countries, Dame Cindy quoted the Vietnamese poet Chế Lan Viên: ‘When we stay, it is only a place to live; when we leave, the land has become part of the soul.’
The visit included a performance by opera tenor Pene Pati, accompanied by pianist Claire Caldwell
We wish General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and his delegation all the very best for their time in New Zealand.
For more images from the official welcome: State visit by the President of Viet Nam
