Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung held a bilateral meeting with New Zealand Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay, on August 13, within the framework of the State visit of Vietnam's General Secretary and President To Lam to New Zealand.

Against a backdrop of global economic challenges and geopolitical uncertainties, the two ministers discussed measures to further strengthen bilateral economic and trade ties. Their goal is to ensure the stable flow of essential goods and regional supply chains while pushing for bilateral trade turnover to reach the $3 billion target in the near future.

To achieve this goal, Minister Hung proposed that New Zealand cooperate closely on several key solutions, including accelerating the process of opening markets for agricultural and food products; promoting two-way trade and investment, with a focus on encouraging New Zealand enterprises to invest in Vietnam; expanding cooperation in digital transformation, digital trade, and cross-border e-commerce, while connecting Vietnamese IT and software companies with the New Zealand market; and maintaining close coordination and mutual support in multilateral forums and effectively implementing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to maximize benefits for the business community.

On his part, Minister McClay highly appreciated and agreed with Vietnam's proposals. Regarding market access for agricultural and seafood products, Minister McClay stated he would work with relevant New Zealand agencies to facilitate and expedite the process.

In terms of multilateral cooperation, Minister Hung requested New Zealand’s support to ensure Vietnam’s successful and effective term as the CPTPP Chair, bringing tangible benefits to all member states. He also expressed a desire for New Zealand to share its experience and provide technical assistance as Vietnam prepares to host APEC 2027. Vietnam highly values New Zealand's contributions to policy dialogues, its expertise in measuring trade in environmental goods, and its support for APEC’s green growth initiatives.

In response, Minister McClay pledged his support for Vietnam’s CPTPP Chairmanship and expressed readiness to provide the necessary expertise and assistance requested by Vietnam.

On this occasion, Minister Hung extended an invitation to Minister Todd McClay to attend the 11th CPTPP Ministerial Commission Meeting, scheduled to be held in Vietnam in November 2026.

In the first half of 2026, Vietnam-New Zealand trade turnover reached $845 million, a 15% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Specifically, Vietnam’s exports to New Zealand reached $400 million (up 19%), while imports from New Zealand totaled $445 million (up 11%).