Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung left the New Zealand city of Auckland on March 20 (local time), wrapping up his official visits to Australia (March 17-18) and New Zealand (March 19-20) which marked new milestones in Viet Nam’s relationship with the two countries and created fresh cooperation opportunities in various realms.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung (L) and his New Zealand counterpart John Key at the press conference following their talks

In Sydney, the Vietnamese leader met with Australian Governor General Peter Cosgrove and New South Wales Governor David Hurley, attended a bilateral business dialogue, received executives of some of Australian top companies, and talked to representatives of the Vietnamese community here.

He also delivered a speech and discussed with scholars and experts of the Lowy Institute for International Policy – one of the top 30 global think tanks.

On this occasion, Viet Nam and Australia issued a joint statement, signed a declaration on strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership along with four cooperation deals, namely a reciprocal work and holiday agreement, an agreement on implementing the Australia-Asia Programme to Combat Trafficking in Persons, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on war aftermath settlement cooperation, and another MoU on Viet Nam’s joining of the UN peace-keeping mission.

Visiting New Zealand, he had talks with the country’s PM John Key; met with Governor-General Jerry Mateparae, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives David Carter, and leader of the New Zealand Labour Party Andrew Little; attended a dialogue with Vietnamese and New Zealand entrepreneurs; and visited the Auckland University of Technology.

At the meetings, the PMs said their countries will enhance all-level delegation exchanges, diversify forms of contact, and more effectively utilise current cooperation mechanisms to successfully implement signed agreements and targets stipulated in the second phase of their action programme (2013-2016).