The funding will finance the third phase of Vietfruit project delivered through a partnership with the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research.

At the meeting, both sides agreed to continue consolidating political trust, strategic trust and political and diplomacy cooperation to create a more solid foundation for the advancement of the relations between the two countries.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to foster the implementation of the action plan for the Viet Nam-New Zealand strategic partnership for the 2021-2024 period and to soon develop another plan for the next phase.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation across all major pillars of their strategic partnership, including economy-trade-investment, security and defense, agriculture, and people-to-people connections.

The two leaders agreed to strive to raise the two-way trade to US$2 billion by the end of this year and to US$3 billion by 2026.

Prime Minister Pham welcomed New Zealand's investments in Viet Nam, especially in such fields like education and training, high-quality agriculture, and renewable energy.

Given the current regional and global situation, both sides agreed to expand defense and security cooperation, effectively cope with increasing traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region, including transnational crime, terrorism, natural disasters and epidemics, while strengthening cooperation in peace-keeping operations, maritime security and exchange of intelligence information, contributing to peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world.

The two sides agreed to foster agriculture cooperation, particularly in research and adaptation to climate change, high-tech agriculture development, food safety management.

Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in culture, education and training, and people-to-people exchanges. Prime Minister Pham suggested New Zealand increase scholarships for Viet Nam and enhance partnership with Vietnamese universities. He also suggested early resumption of direct air routes between the two countries.

The two Prime Ministers affirmed their resolve to continue coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums, especially the United Nations, ASEAN-led mechanisms, and APEC and support each other's candidacy at regional and international organizations.

Prime Minister Pham thanked New Zealand for having backed Viet Nam's bid to win a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure.

Pham reiterated Viet Nam will actively promote practical cooperation agenda between ASEAN and New Zealand when the Southeast Asian nation undertakes the role as the coordinator of the ASEAN - New Zealand relations in the 2024-2027 period.

Prime Minister Luxon affirmed New Zealand will support and cooperate closely with Viet Nam when Viet Nam hosts APEC in 2017.

On the East Sea issue, the two Prime Ministers underscored the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea; settling disputes through peaceful measures with respect for international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The two sides agreed to strengthen information exchange and sharing and maritime cooperation in a bid to make the East Sea a sea of peace, stability, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development.

After the meeting, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing ceremony of agreements on finance, education, and economic cooperation./.VGP