New Report Highlights Untapped Potential In New Zealand-Viet Nam Relationship

The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is thrilled to launch its latest report Viet Nam and New Zealand at 50: The next chapter. This report explores the growing potential of the bilateral relationship as the two nations celebrate 50 years of formal diplomatic ties.

Commissioned by the Foundation and authored by Haike Manning, the report builds on the 2020 publication, Viet Nam & New Zealand: Let’s Go, offering fresh insights into Viet Nam's dynamic environment and celebrating the people who have contributed to the New Zealand - Viet Nam relationship over the last 50 years.

"This report is timely, especially with the Prime Minister's upcoming delegation to Viet Nam. Its insights will be a valuable resource for those who want to learn more about our bilateral relationship," says Suzannah Jessep, CE of the Foundation.

"Viet Nam is already our 14th biggest trading partner, with bilateral trade worth NZ$2.68 billion in 2024. Given Viet Nam’s booming economy, the potential for New Zealand businesses, from fashion and food to tech and the arts is huge. We do have a bit of a trade deficit at the moment, but that just means there's room to grow."

The report's author Haike Manning describes the pace of change in Viet Nam as "remarkable".

"It is expected to see some of the fastest income growth in the world over the next decade," he says.

"Viet Nam’s increasingly wealthy consumers trust our high quality, safe food, which has underpinned significant growth in our exports to Viet Nam over the past 10 years."

Beyond trade, the report also celebrates long-standing ties between the two countries, especially in areas like healthcare, education and diplomacy.

People-to-people connections are flourishing, with 8,000 Vietnamese visiting New Zealand in 2023 and 40,000 New Zealanders visiting Viet Nam in 2024. New Zealand and Viet Nam also share a commitment to a stable international environment and are actively collaborating on defence and security matters.

The full report is a great read for anyone looking to understand the incredible opportunities in Viet Nam, from businesses to policymakers, academics and anyone curious about understanding and engaging with this dynamic market.

Additional Information:

About the Author

Haike Manning is the former New Zealand Ambassador to Viet Nam (2012-2016). Haike’s 20-year career as a New Zealand diplomat spanned key global economies (India, Brazil, China, as well as Viet Nam), with a strong focus on supporting trade, business and education outcomes for New Zealand.

Since 2017, Haike has been based in Ho Chi Minh City, where he founded LightPath Consulting Group, a consulting business supporting international education providers to engage effectively in Viet Nam. In 2021, LightPath was acquired by Acumen, another international education consulting business. Haike subsequently joined Acumen to spearhead their expansion throughout Southeast Asia.

About the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono

Established in 1994, the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Tūhono is New Zealand’s leading authority on Asia. Its mission is to equip New Zealanders to thrive in Asia, by providing experiences and resources to build knowledge, skills and confidence. The Foundation’s activities cover more than 20 countries in Asia and are delivered through eight core programmes: arts, business, entrepreneurship, leadership, media, research, Track II diplomacy and sports.

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