State Banquet

I greet you: Your Majesty; Your Majesty Raja Isteri; Your Royal Highnesses; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.

I begin with the New Zealand Māori greeting, "Kia Ora" and in the context of this evening’s State Banquet may I add the greeting: “Salaam Wailaikum”.

My wife Susan and I are honoured to be received as your guests here in the magnificent Istana Nurul Iman, and for the warmth and generosity with which everyone has welcomed us to Bandar Seri Begawan.

Your Majesty, I would like to take this opportunity to speak of the relationship between New Zealand and Brunei Darussalam.  I would like to suggest that our two countries share many common interests, and we will increasingly share a common future in an increasingly integrated and dynamic Asia-Pacific region.

Last year, New Zealand and Brunei Darussalam marked 25 years of full diplomatic relations.  Since 1984 the relationship between our two countries has grown progressively closer and now stands on strong foundations.

The first foundation of the relationship between Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand lies in our mutual involvement in regional organisations, particularly ASEAN.  New Zealand regards its relationship with ASEAN as a key pillar of its foreign policy and as central to New Zealand’s closer engagement with the East Asian region.

The role ASEAN plays was well made by its former Director-General, Ong Keng Yong, at a conference in Auckland in March this year.  Ambassador Ong, who is also Director of the Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore, said, and I quote:

“ASEAN has treated all interested powers and big neighbours equally and positively.  ASEAN member states believe in a peaceful co-existence and in the joint development of relevant economic, political and social enterprises that would secure the favourable conditions in the region, thereby allowing regional countries to focus on their respective national priorities.  ASEAN has devised a variety of processes to give a stake to everyone without appearing to take the side of anyone …”

It is an approach that New Zealand endorses.  The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon John Key, is looking forward to meeting with Your Majesty and other leaders of ASEAN at the commemorative ASEAN-New Zealand Summit Meeting to be held in Hanoi later this month.

The ASEAN group, which Brunei Darussalam joined in 1984, already constitutes New Zealand’s third largest trading partner.  As the ASEAN economies increasingly integrate in line with the blueprint for the ASEAN Community, the economic relationship between New Zealand and ASEAN will be further strengthened.  It is firmly underpinned by the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area which came into force in January this year.  I wish to record here New Zealand’s appreciation for Brunei’s able stewardship as the ASEAN co-ordinator of the ASEAN, Australia, New Zealand Free Trade Area negotiations.

The Agreement is a living partnership with an ongoing work programme.  The partners to the agreement intend it to continue to promote an ever closer economic relationship between the New Zealand and Australian economies and ASEAN.

The New Zealand and Brunei economies are also linked through the “P4” agreement which includes Chile and Singapore.  That agreement forms the heart of an ambitious economic relationship being negotiated between the original signatories, and the United States, Australia, Peru, Viet Nam and other Asia-Pacific countries.

The third round of these very important negotiations took place in Bandar Seri Begawan last week.  New Zealand is convinced of the strategic and economic importance of the Trans Pacific Partnership and we are delighted to be again working closely with Brunei Darussalam in this undertaking.

The second foundation of our relationship is in defence.  Tomorrow we will visit the Royal Brunei Armed Forces military academy and officer cadet school.  As Your Majesty will know, military co-operation between our two defence forces has been growing steadily.  New Zealand appreciates the opportunities that Brunei Darussalam has provided for New Zealand soldiers to train in tropical conditions alongside your soldiers.  New Zealand has, in turn, hosted officer cadets and more senior officers from Brunei to study and train in New Zealand.  I have addressed the graduates of New Zealand’s Staff and Command College several times and have noted the presence of officers from Brunei.

New Zealand is grateful for Brunei Darussalam’s support for including New Zealand in the ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus forum.  That gathering, which holds its first meeting in Viet Nam tomorrow, will be attended by New Zealand’s Minister of Defence, Hon Dr Wayne Mapp.  We have also appreciated Brunei’s support for and attendance in ASEAN Regional Forum activities hosted by New Zealand.

The third of those foundations that ties the others together are the people-to-people connections.  Your Majesty has visited New Zealand on a number of occasions, as have your brother, His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed, and your son and heir, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Billah. 

With Royal Brunei Airlines now flying direct from Bandar Seri Begawan to Auckland, many more of our respective citizens are getting to know each other.  Many New Zealanders visit Brunei Darussalam on route to destinations in Southeast Asia, in the Middle East and in Europe.  More citizens of Brunei are also visiting New Zealand for tourism, social and educational purposes.  In particular, we hope the people of Brunei will take the opportunity to visit New Zealand when our country hosts the Rugby World Cup next year.

With regard to education linkages, I am advised that in 2009, there were about 68 students from Brunei enrolled in New Zealand Universities.  New Zealand hopes that many other citizens of Brunei Darussalam will opt to study in New Zealand. 

Your Majesty and other visitors from Brunei Darussalam to New Zealand may have observed that New Zealand has become culturally, ethnically and religiously diverse in recent years.  About 9 percent of New Zealanders are of Asian ancestry, and that group includes many people of East and South Asian origin.  These social and family links reinforce increasingly strong bonds between New Zealand and Asia.

There is also a growing population of New Zealanders living in Brunei, working as teachers, airline pilots and technicians, as professionals in the health and business sectors, and in Brunei’s oil and gas sector.  Susan and I had the pleasure to meet many of them this afternoon, and they have told us how much they enjoy living and working here.

Your Majesty, in conclusion, in economic diplomacy, defence, education and people-to-people linkages, the relationship between our two countries is strong and has significant potential for further development.  New Zealand is a small country situated almost in the middle of the Pacific, while Brunei Darussalam is situated near the geographical centre of East Asia.  In the century ahead of us, the Asia-Pacific region seems destined to play a critical role in shaping global peace and prosperity. 

Smaller countries need to work effectively and skilfully together if they are to determine their destiny in an interdependent world. It is the premise on which ASEAN is based and I believe it also underpins the growing understanding between New Zealand and Brunei Darussalam.

On behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand, I thank Your Majesty for the support and encouragement you have given over many years to this very valuable relationship.  I also want to register again the personal thanks of my wife Susan and I for your very generous hospitality this evening.

And on that note, I seek to close in New Zealand's first language Māori, offering greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your endeavours.  No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.