VCCI Vice President Nguyen Quang Vinh presents a gift to Elizabeth Bell, Executive Director of the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council

On September 18, ASEAN New Zealand Business Council Executive Director Elizabeth Bell met with VCCI Vice President Nguyen Quang Vinh to discuss cooperation areas between Vietnam and New Zealand, along with broader ASEAN initiatives.

He expressed his appreciation for the support between ASEAN member countries, especially the role of Vietnam in hosting events like the 101st meeting of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) held in Hanoi. He emphasized the importance of cooperation in supporting Laos, particularly in sharing hosting responsibilities during its ASEAN chairmanship.

“Our full agenda reflects the close collaboration among ASEAN countries. The meeting covered such topics as the legacy project on connectivity, supply chain transformation and corporate sustainability,” said Vinh. He further highlighted the Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI), a Vietnam-led initiative being implemented across ASEAN countries, including Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. The focus on sustainable business practices and green transformation is a significant legacy project for Vietnam and ASEAN.

The discussion highlighted the role of ASEAN BAC in providing recommendations to ASEAN leaders. Vinh mentioned the comprehensive report presented at the recent ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting in Luang Prabang, Laos, detailing the contributions of ASEAN businesses to regional economic development.

Elizabeth Bell acknowledged the long-standing relationship between the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council and ASEAN BAC for the past 11 years. She highlighted the relevance of priority sectors like digital transformation and renewable energy for both New Zealand and Vietnam, adding that New Zealand has been actively involved in ASEAN-backed projects, including funding research on the ASEAN Single Window to promote trade facilitation through digital solutions.

She emphasized the opportunities for New Zealand businesses in Vietnam, especially in the renewable energy sector. “There is a growing interest in renewable energy projects, such as offshore gas fields and wind farms in southern Vietnam. New Zealand companies are keen to collaborate in this space,” said Bell.

Bell also discussed New Zealand’s contributions to the digital transformation in ASEAN and expressed interest in further strengthening trade relations between Vietnam and New Zealand. With the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025, she highlighted plans to bring a delegation of New Zealand business leaders to Vietnam as part of the celebrations.

Vinh welcomed this initiative and emphasized VCCI’s readiness to collaborate on organizing workshops and seminars to promote business activities between the two nations. He expressed optimism about the future of trade and investment relations between Vietnam and New Zealand, noting the strong political trust and growing economic ties.