National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan expressed Vietnam’s desires to strengthen cooperative ties with New Zealand, Chile and Indonesia during her separate receptions for the outgoing ambassadors of the three countries in Hanoi on December 11. 

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) receives outgoing NZ Ambassador
to Vietnam Wendy Matthews in Hanoi on Dec. 11. (Photo: VNA)

Receiving NZ Ambassador Wendy Matthews, NA Chairwoman Ngan highly appreciated the ambassador’s personal contributions to strengthening cooperation between the two countries during her working term in Vietnam.

She said she believes the lifting of the Vietnam – New Zealand relations to a strategic partnership level in July 2020 will open a new chapter in and give fresh impetus to bilateral cooperation.

The Vietnam National Assembly will work closely with the NZ parliament to realize the joint statement on the establishment of the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnership, Ngan assured her guest.

Ambassador Wendy Matthews congratulated Vietnam on its initial success in COVID-19 control, and said alongside national defence, security and politics, both countries should increase cooperation in such fields as agriculture, trade and education.

At a reception for Chilean Ambassador Jaime Chomali Garib, Ngan affirmed Vietnam always attaches great importance to promoting relations with other countries in Latin America, including Chile.

She noted with satisfaction the positive development of bilateral trade, which had reached US$1 billion in the opening 10 months of the year. She said she hopes the legislative bodies of Vietnam and Chile will increase the exchange of delegations as well as experience in lawmaking, supervision and decision making of national key issues.

Ambassador Jaime Chomali Garib congratulated Vietnam on completing its ASEAN and AIPA Chairmanship role in 2020, and at the same time expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s hard work to contain COVID-19 and achieve positive economic growth.

While receiving Indonesian Ambassador Jaime Ibnu Hadi, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan appreciated the Ambassador’s contributions to the development of the Vietnam-Indonesia friendship and strategic partnership during his working term.

According to the NA leader, the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia has developed strongly over the years. Notably, bilateral trade hit US$9.1 billion in 2019 and US$5.7 billion in the opening nine months of this year alone, equivalent to the amount recorded in the corresponding period last year despite the COVID-19 impact.

Ambassador Jaime Ibnu Hadi said he considers Vietnam his second home and he will try his best to foster cooperation between the two countries in his new position.

He congratulated Vietnam’s successful control of the COVID-19 pandemic and hoped to learn from its experience.

On this occasion, NA Chairwoman Ngan presented medical masks to the Indonesian government, and proposed the two countries’ ministries of health strengthen cooperation in COVID-19 response.