E nga rau rangatira mā, e huihui nei mai I tenei ra, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora mai tātou katoa.
Your Excellency General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, and all distinguished guests I have the pleasure of hosting here at Government House Auckland this afternoon – Chào mừng, welcome.
For fifty-one years, Aotearoa New Zealand and Viet Nam have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations. In recent years, this friendship has continued to deepen as our aspirations for our future, our region, and our peoples continue to converge. This was evidenced last year when our relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This is an ambitious framework that turns five decades of trust into practical cooperation for the future.
Of course, our relationship extends far beyond these fifty-one years. As two countries of the Indo-Pacific, we have deep and intertwined histories, and place profound value on kanohi ki te kanohi, face to face people-to-people links. Ours are cultures that value being able to meet in person, to get to know one another, and to share our hospitality. It is these most human of interactions – so integral to both of our nations – which I am confident will underpin our strong bond for years to come.
Our positions in the Indo-Pacific afford us another sympatico – our shared reliance on thriving agriculture, maritime, and tourism industries. We are nations of golden beaches, lush forests and snow-tipped mountains. From Ha Long Bay in the north of Viet Nam, to Milford Sound in the South Island of New Zealand, the exceptional beauty of our natural world affords us great opportunity – but also considerable responsibility.
We face many of the same challenges – resilience to climate change weather related events and environmental erosion remain top of mind in building our economic base and international positioning. It is heartening to see our shared commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adherence to the goals of the Paris Agreement reinforced during last year’s bilateral talks. It underscores our mutual understanding of the importance with which we must assume our guardianship – our Kaitiakitanga – of the natural world to protect the futures of our two nations and the broader Pacific region.
I had the great honour of meeting former Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh when he visited New Zealand in 2024. Spending time with the Prime Minister and his delegation, I was struck by their openness and generosity of spirit. It spoke of the warmth of the Vietnamese national character and the wholeheartedness with which you connect with the world around you. Viet Nam is a country of resilience, and your status as the fastest growing economy in Asia speaks to your ambitions for all your people.
In te reo Māori, we have a whakataukī – a saying – which says: ‘Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa – Let us keep close together, not wide apart’. Though we may be separated by the expanse of the Pacific Ocean, our shared friendship, commitment to sustainable growth, and progressive ambitions ensure that Viet Nam and New Zealand will never be far apart.
I do hope you enjoy your time in Aotearoa New Zealand and that it instils you with a deeper insight into the affinity our people share for one another. New Zealand has benefitted greatly from the contribution of people from Viet Nam who have chosen to make their home here, and in return, many New Zealanders have enjoyed the hospitality of your beautiful nation. I trust that our enduring relationship will enable our important Indo-Pacific connection to continue to flourish.
Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.