General Secretary and President To Lam presents a statue of President Ho Chi Minh to the Embassy of Vietnam in New Zealand. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Phan Minh Giang expressed his deep emotion and gratitude for the attention paid by the Party, State and General Secretary and President To Lam personally to Vietnamese diplomatic officials and staff, as well as representatives of the Vietnamese community in New Zealand and South Pacific island countries. He said this was a great source of encouragement, helping bridge the vast geographical distance and bringing the warmth of the homeland and the bonds of fellow Vietnamese from home to overseas Vietnamese.

Reporting on the activities of the Vietnamese community in New Zealand, Ambassador Phan Minh Giang said the community currently numbers around 15,000 people. It has integrated well into New Zealand society while actively preserving national traditions and cultural identity, maintaining close ties with the homeland and making positive contributions to Vietnam-New Zealand relations.

Delegates attend the meeting with General Secretary and President To Lam. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Vietnamese associations and organizations have been established in all major cities across New Zealand. Vietnamese student associations are active and dynamic, while the Vietnam Knowledge Network in New Zealand has also been established as a network by and for Vietnamese people, connecting intellectual resources and sharing expertise to build a united, well-integrated and mutually developing Vietnamese community.

Representatives of the Vietnamese community expressed their happiness at the country's development achievements and confidence in the Party and State's strategic decisions in recent times. They affirmed their commitment to further strengthening community solidarity, maintaining ties with their roots and homeland, and helping preserve and promote Vietnamese cultural identity and the nation's traditional values among New Zealanders and the international community. They also pledged to contribute to the shared aspiration of building a strong, prosperous and happy Vietnam.

General Secretary and President To Lam speaks with officials and staff of the Embassy of Vietnam in New Zealand. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Speaking at the meeting, General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized that Vietnam and New Zealand have maintained diplomatic relations for more than 50 years, with bilateral ties continuing to develop positively. The two countries upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025, reflecting a high level of mutual trust and comprehensive cooperation across various fields. The current visit aims to further deepen bilateral relations and promote increasingly substantive and effective cooperation. The two sides will exchange views and sign agreements across multiple pillars of cooperation, with a focus on areas where both countries hold advantages.

General Secretary and President To Lam said Vietnam has set development targets, including achieving annual economic growth of 10 percent or higher, promoting development across all areas to become a high-income country, while continuously improving people's living standards and quality of life.

In recent times, the entire political system has undertaken extensive efforts and achieved initial successes that have received strong public support. Localities are actively drawing on their internal strengths within new development spaces, while the government apparatus has been streamlined and continues to improve its operational effectiveness, with the aim of strengthening social governance and better meeting the needs of all citizens. A number of strategic resolutions and socioeconomic policies have also been introduced to create breakthroughs and demonstrate determination to realize the country's development objectives.

General Secretary and President To Lam noted that the Politburo had recently issued a new resolution on overseas Vietnamese affairs, Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW dated August 2, 2026. The resolution emphasizes that Vietnamese people living abroad are not only an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation but also constitute a strategic resource for national development.

General Secretary and President To Lam and delegates. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Extending warm greetings to Vietnamese people in New Zealand and the South Pacific island countries, General Secretary and President To Lam recognized and commended the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese associations and organizations for their meaningful and highly commendable activities. He described them as ambassadors who help spread a positive image of Vietnam among international friends, and expressed his hope that they would continue to strengthen solidarity, work together to build an increasingly strong and prosperous community, foster national pride, preserve and promote the traditional cultural identity of the homeland, and continue making practical contributions to the development of the homeland and country.

The Vietnamese community has consistently maintained solidarity and mutual support, helping one another improve their economic well-being and quality of life while remaining connected to the homeland. At the same time, its active contributions have made the community an important factor in promoting the positive and growing relationship between Vietnam and New Zealand.

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