AKP Phnom Penh, March 04, 2025 —

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc met with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on February 28, during which the former highlighted numerous potential areas for cooperation between the southern largest economic hub and the Oceanian country.

Duoc emphasised the city’s position as the country’s most dynamic locality with substantial investment and development opportunities across various domains, noting the Government issued a resolution on the establishment of an international financial centre in the city, with preparations for infrastructure development underway and calls for external investment resources.

HCM City is paying due attention to developing high-tech industries while advancing digital transformation in governance and administration, he said, stressing this area's considerable growth potential.

According to Duoc, education represents one of the city's five strategic development pillars, with ambitions to establish a high-quality educational zone spanning from secondary to postgraduate levels. Furthermore, high-tech agriculture, culture, and tourism also boast huge potential for cooperation.

He expressed his hope that Luxon’s visit will accelerate investment cooperation from New Zealand enterprises in the coming time.

Luxon, for his part, congratulated HCM City on its impressive economic growth over the recent past. However, he noted that much work needs to be done so that Vietnam can become a high-income country by 2045.

The PM expressed his optimism that his visit will bolster the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, laying a ground for the two sides to work together in various areas such as economy, education, tourism, and agriculture.

The New Zealand leader shared his experience when visiting the Temple of Literature in Hanoi the previous day, noting Vietnam's profound cultural emphasis on education. He highlighted New Zealand's strengths in higher education, with several world-class universities, and mentioned plans for increased investment in science and education.

Cooperation in education provides an excellent starting point, after which the two countries could enhance collaboration in other spheres such as economy, science, technology, and high-tech agriculture, he added.

On February 27 night, Luxon went on a cruise tour down the Sai Gon River and enjoyed the art of "hat boi," a unique theatrical art form that has existed for hundreds of years in Vietnam.

AKP-VNA