Viet Nam

Our relationship with Viet Nam

There has been rapid growth in New Zealand’s relationship with Viet Nam since it was upgraded to a Strategic Partnership in 2020.

The relationship encompasses engagement through APEC and ASEAN and other multilateral fora, defence visits and training, strong societal and people-to-people ties, International Development Cooperation, and strong trade and economic links. Education and capability building are key pillars of the relationship.

Trade and economic

Viet Nam is a fast growing, stable economy. It has seen GDP growth of over 5% each year since 2000 and is on track to reach Upper Middle-Income Country status in 2030. With few trade barriers, a population of over 100 million people and a growing middle class, Viet Nam has been identified as one of the top export growth opportunities for New Zealand.

For more information on Viet Nam as an export market see NZTE’s Viet Nam Market Guide - Collection - myNZTE(external link).

New Zealand’s top exports to Viet Nam are education, dairy, timber and horticulture.

The latest information about New Zealand's trade with Viet Nam is available on the New Zealand Trade Dashboard(external link).

New Zealand and Viet Nam are highly integrated into the regional trade architecture. We are both members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and the following free trade agreements:

• ASEAN-Australia-NZ FTA - AANZFTA
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
• Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

People and culture

Education, tourism, and cuisine are highlights of the people to people links between New Zealand and Viet Nam.

The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme(external link) provides tertiary and short-term training scholarships for Vietnamese scholars and professionals to study in New Zealand.

Young Vietnamese citizens also have the opportunity to work and study in New Zealand for up to 12 months on a Working Holiday Scheme visa. Information on the Working Holiday Scheme can be found on the Immigration New Zealand website(external link).

The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono(external link) equips New Zealanders to thrive in Asia by providing experiences and resources to build their knowledge, skills and confidence. Their Entrepreneurship programme(external link) takes groups of industry-specific entrepreneurs and business leaders from New Zealand to Asia, and vice versa. The Foundation’s Asia Media Centre(external link) aims to improve the breadth and depth of coverage of Asia issues in the New Zealand media.

Defence and security

New Zealand cooperates with Viet Nam through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) and niche bilateral support such as military education. We also cooperate on transnational crime, in the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, and through ASEANAPOL. 

Development cooperation and sustainability

New Zealand supports Viet Nam’s development goals through International Development Cooperation with Viet Nam and ASEAN. Our long-standing bilateral support is comprised of country-specific activities, scholarships, and Partnering for Impact activities delivered by New Zealand and local NGOs. Our regional support is delivered through a range of mechanisms including scholarships and climate finance.

Find out more about our bilateral cooperation with Viet Nam.

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