Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. Photo: VGP |
Special diplomatic ceremonies
The Vietnamese delegation received a warm welcome from the Government and people of New Zealand. The Prime Minister’s welcoming ceremony was conducted with the highest diplomatic protocol for heads of foreign governments, with 19 cannons.
According to the Prime Minister, Vietnam and New Zealand share many common values, such as valuing the preservation of national cultural identity, promoting community, solidarity, and the spirit of mutual support.
Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Hung Tam emphasized that this visit by the Prime Minister has a particularly important significance as it opens a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries.
Australia gave the Prime Minister and the delegation a warm welcome with special diplomatic ceremonies that went beyond the usual level.
For the reception, the host country treated the guests to traditional Australian dishes with Vietnamese spices.
Notably, the Governor General of Australia drove an electric car to take the Prime Minister and his wife to visit his office. This rare gesture made the Vietnamese community proud of the Prime Minister’s visit.
Meeting with overseas Vietnamese
During the trip, the Prime Minister met with a number of overseas Vietnamese associations. He had meetings with representatives of the Vietnamese community, businessmen in Australia and New Zealand.
The Prime Minister paid attention to all the comments and answered them thoroughly, without avoiding any questions. After listening to each opinion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh often looked around and asked, “Do any of you have any other opinions?” to encourage them to share.
The PM also met with the Vietnamese science and technology group (VietTech NZ) during his official visit to New Zealand.
Despite the tight schedule, the Prime Minister extended the meeting for nearly an hour to listen to the opinions and contributions of Vietnamese intellectuals and scientists.
“Having traveled tens of thousands of kilometers from Vietnam to here, we want to hear about the experiences, lessons, advantages, and difficulties of Vietnamese people in New Zealand,” the PM said.
Meeting with overseas Vietnamese in New Zealand. Photo: VGP |
Overseas Vietnamese of different ages, professions, and fields shared their personal but highly universal experiences.
They proposed several notable directions and solutions in education, training, science and technology, and innovation.
According to the Prime Minister, they provided new thinking, methodologies, and approaches to problem-solving for the leaders.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, leaders of ASEAN countries, and ASEAN Secretary-General at the official welcome ceremony for delegation heads attending the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. Photo: VGP |
On the multilateral level, during this business trip, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s profound, comprehensive, and strategic statements at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit were highly appreciated by other countries.
He not only accurately assessed the level of relations over the past 50 years but also proposed a vision, future direction, proposals, and initiatives to advance the relationship.
In his policy statements and sharing about Vietnam’s diplomatic policy, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that sincerity, trust, and responsibility play an important role in addressing today’s world problems. It is a world facing great challenges, great contradictions, and undergoing profound transition.
John Allen, President of Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand), appreciated the messages conveyed by the Prime Minister.
He stated that the audience was truly honored to listen and could feel the sincerity, enthusiasm, energy, and inspiration in the Prime Minister’s speech.
“We are touched because the Prime Minister has enabled New Zealand to better understand Vietnam. We are more connected and have a better understanding of each other, truly reaching from the heart,” he said.
Sam Son sea festival slated for April 21
The 2018 sea festival of Sam Son city of the north central coastal province of Thanh Hoa will take place on April 21, heard a press conference held in the city on April 12.