Cementing New Zealand's relationship with Vietnam through trade, aid and our bid for a spot on the United Nations' Security Council has been the aim of Prime Minister John Key's trip to the southeast Asian nation.Mr Key arrived in Vietnam on Saturday. Tod
Cementing New Zealand's relationship with Vietnam through trade, aid and our bid for a spot on the United Nations' Security Council has been the aim of Prime Minister John Key's trip to the southeast Asian nation.
Mr Key arrived in Vietnam on Saturday. Today he will meet Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and President Nguyen Minh Triet.
New Zealand gave $10 million in annual aid to Vietnam and the Government would be looking to maximise the value of that, Mr Key said.
Vietnam's needs had become more complex as the country grew and the aid relationship would need to adapt.
New Zealand aid money goes into education, including for senior officials to travel to New Zealand for study, and to cooperating with non-government organisations in the country.
Mr Key said he was as confident as he could be that Vietnam would remain a partner in Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations (TPP).
He raised the TPP with Vietnamese government and Communist Party leadership.
They expressed that they wanted to be part of it, he said.
"They see it as an important step forward, so all the signs are positive but this is a very difficult negotiation."
Mr Key said New Zealand was hopeful Vietnam would support New Zealand's bid for a place on the United Nations Security Council in 2015/16.
New Zealand had secured quite a number of votes already, he said.
"We continue to be in a position where it's only New Zealand and Spain at this point -- the World Cup champions I might add -- so with a bit of luck we'll get through in that category unopposed."
Other countries may come in at the last minute so it was worthwhile New Zealand securing votes, he said.
"Last time New Zealand was on the Security Council we did a tremendous job, we were well respected and I think it would be quite a feather in our cap if we could get that nomination for the 2015/16 period."
Mr Key was in Vietnam to celebrate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Vietnam and to meet government and Communist Party officials.
He will return for the East Asia Summit later this year.
At that time he will also celebrate a commemorative event to recognise the 35th anniversary. The Communist Party's general secretary Nong Duc Manh, who is currently out of the country, would be back then.
Mr Key arrives back in New Zealand tomorrow afternoon.
(Kate Chapman travelled to Vietnam with the help of funding from the Asia New Zealand Foundation)
