President Triet welcomed the ongoing visit by the high-level delegation from New Zealand’s Parliament, affirming that the relationship between the two countries has been developing well in many fields. He stressed that New Zealand remains an important and comprehensive trade partner of Vietnam.

Mr Triet thanked the leaders and people of New Zealand for their fine feelings and effective support for Vietnam’s WTO membership and its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Mr Triet stated that Vietnam urgently needs support from international friends while the country is in the process of industrialization and modernization. In future, Vietnam wishes to continue to receive assistance from New Zealand in the fields of trade, ODA funding, education and training, science and technology.

For his part, Speaker Smith highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in the Doi Moi (Renewal) process over the past 20 years. He emphasized that President Triet’s visit to New Zealand in 2007 laid an important foundation for both countries to sign and implement important agreements effectively.

Speaker Smith said that the implementation of the package of eight solutions by the Vietnamese government is helping to reduce the impact of the economic downturn.

On the occasion, Speaker Smith also laid a wreath at the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, held working sessions with leaders from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and with the NA’s Council of Ethnic Minorities.

* The same day, President Triet also held a reception for the Singaporean Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who is on a working visit to Vietnam.

Mr Triet spoke highly of the minister’s valuable support and assistance to Vietnam, expressing his delight at the fine development of cooperative relations between the two countries in all fields.

He added that the development of the Vietnam-Singaporean Industrial Park in Binh Duong reflects a vivid manifestation of the good relationship between the two countries, especially the important role of Mr Lee. He expressed his hope that many Vietnam-Singaporean industrial zones will be expanded in the northern port city of Hai Phong and Bac Ninh province.

For his part, Mr Lee highly praised Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements, stressing that Singapore will continue to invest in Vietnam which has political stability, and a strategic location in the region as well as an abundant and hard working pool of human resources.

Mr Lee also shared some of the Singaporean government’s experiences and solutions they’ve undertaken to cope with the global economic crisis. He affirmed that Singapore is willing to cooperate with Vietnam in the fields of economics, trade, investment, education and training, tourism, finance and transportation in future.