Vietnam and the tiny South Pacific nation of the Cook Islands on April 26 set up their diplomatic relations, reported local news.

Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung and Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand Elizabeth Wright-Koteka exchange notes on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Cook Islands. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

A Joint Communiqué announcing the establishment was signed in Wellington, New Zealand, by Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung, who is on behalf of the Government of Vietnam, and Elizabeth Wright-Koteka, Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand, who is on behalf of the Government of the Cook Islands.

The two sides agreed to officially establish their diplomatic ties at the ambassadorial level from the date of signing the Joint Communiqué and apply the 1961 Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations in the two countries’ relationship.

After the signing ceremony, Ambassador Trung discussed with High Commissioner Elizabeth activities to enhance mutual understanding and develop solidarity and friendship between the two peoples.

Regarding bilateral cooperation, the two sides agreed to intensify collaboration in their advantageous fields such as tourism, agriculture, and fisheries, and exchange experience in climate change response and Covid-19 prevention and control.

They were also unanimous to coordinate at Asia-Pacific forums as well as in United Nations (UN) organizations.

With this move, Vietnam has had diplomatic relations with 190 countries around the world.

Vietnam is the 57th country in the world and the sixth in ASEAN that the Cook Islands has officially set up diplomatic relations with.

The Cook Islands is a nation in the South Pacific, and has 15 main islands. Source: CNN

With a population of 20,200 (2019’s data), the Cook Islands are in the South Pacific Ocean, north-east of New Zealand, between French Polynesia and American Samoa.

There are 15 major islands spread over 2,200,000 km2 (850,000 sq mi) of the ocean, divided into two distinct groups: the Southern Cook Islands and the Northern Cook Islands of coral atolls. It boasts rich marine and ocean resources, including fisheries and pearling. Tourism is the leading industry that accounts for over 65% of its GDP.

It gained self-rule on August 4, 1965, and was recognized as an independent state by the UN in 1992.

The South Pacific nation is a representative democracy with a parliamentary system in an associated state relationship with New Zealand. It has an independent and open foreign policy.

With the exception of the inhabitants of isolated Pukapuka, who are of predominantly Samoan and Tongan descent, almost all Cook Islanders have mixed Polynesian ancestry.

There are two main indigenous Polynesian languages, one for the island of Pukapuka and the other (with dialectal variations) for all other islands. The latter, known as Cook Islands Maori, is an official language, as is English.

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