Education the cornerstone of NZ ties

Ambassador Heather Riddell speaks with the Viet Nam News on the occasion of New Zealand's national Waitangi Day tomorrow.

How will you celebrate the country's national day this year?

Ambassador Heather Riddell

February 6, 2010 marks the 170th anniversary of the signing of a treaty at Waitangi in the north of New Zealand between the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs. The treaty is regarded as the founding document of New Zealand as a nation. In New Zealand the day will be marked by formal ceremonies and it is a public holiday for all New Zealanders. In Ha Noi we will mark the occasion with a function that will celebrate this important national anniversary – and also launch the year of the 35th anniversary of New Zealand's bilateral relationship with Viet Nam.

 

New Zealand and Viet Nam established diplomatic relations in 1975. How would you describe the New Zealand-Viet Nam relationship in 2010?

The bilateral relationship between our two countries achieved a significant milestone during 2009 with the visit to New Zealand of Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, during which Viet Nam and New Zealand agreed to establish a Comprehensive Partnership Framework (CPF). The CPF places the bilateral relationship on a new footing that reflects the extensive linkages between our two countries and our mutual desire to elevate the relationship to new levels. New Zealand and Viet Nam co-operate extensively with frequent high-level bilateral exchanges including, most recently, the visit to Viet Nam of the New Zealand Foreign Minister, Hon Murray McCully. Our dialogue covers the spectrum of political, trade and economic, defence, police, customs, education, aid and other matters of bilateral interest. We co-operate closely on regional and international issues and that interaction will only increase in the year ahead during which Viet Nam will be the chair of ASEAN.

 

What are your priorities for the relationship in 2010?

New Zealand at a glance Area: 268,680sq.km Population: over 4 million Capital: Wellington Languages: English, Maori Currency: New Zealand Dollar National Flag: Blue with the British Union flag with four red stars edges in white

A key priority will be to finalise an action plan to give effect to the elevation of the bilateral relationship to Comprehensive Partnership status. A Memorandum of Co-operation on science and technology between Viet Nam and New Zealand was signed only two weeks ago and will lead to expanded links in that area. Similarly, co-operation framework agreements are also being concluded to underpin our police and customs co-operation. Expanding our education relationship remains an important priority for enhanced bilateral co-operation. With the entry into force of AANZFTA we will want to work with Viet Nam to raise awareness amongst our respective business communities of the opportunities presented by that agreement. We will also be putting into place practical arrangements to enable the first uptake of the 100 chefs and 100 engineers to be permitted temporary entry to work in New Zealand under the AANZFTA, and also to work with Viet Nam on concluding a Working Holiday Scheme agreement that will enable 100 young people to visit and work in New Zealand and Viet Nam respectively in future.

The year of Viet Nam's chairmanship of ASEAN is coincidentally also the year of New Zealand's 35th anniversary of our relationship with ASEAN. We will be participating fully in ASEAN meetings where New Zealand is involved as a dialogue partner and also in the East Asia Summit and the ARF PMC. New Zealand wishes Viet Nam every success in this challenging leadership year and looks forward to continued close dialogue on the wide ranging regional agenda.

 

How do you evaluate co-operation in education? Are there any relevant activities in the pipeline?

Sheep farming has been crucial in the development of New Zealand's economy, and for 130 years was the most important agriculture industry. — Photo Courtesy of the Embassy

Education has long been a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship and we attach high value to developing this still further. In 2010 we will continue to offer English language training scholarships to Vietnamese officials, as we have done for many years, as well as post graduate study scholarship opportunities. Promoting linkages between New Zealand and Vietnamese tertiary institutions will also be important and we will continue to explore avenues for enhanced dialogue on education policies where New Zealand has relevant experience to share with Viet Nam. We are seeing more and more Vietnamese students coming to New Zealand to study privately – with a 40 per cent increase in numbers of Vietnamese students studying in New Zealand in 2009. I am confident that New Zealand's credentials as a high-quality education destination will continue to attract students from Viet Nam in increasing numbers. — VNS