Hanoi (VNA) – Boasting young population, strong emphasis on education, as well as clear goals for economic development, it is no surprise that Vietnam has advanced rapidly and steadily over the past 10-15 years, former New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam James Kember has said.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the threshold of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam – New Zealand diplomatic relations (June 19), Kember, who served his 2006-2009 tenure in Vietnam, attributed the country’s progress to a confluence of factors, including contributions from the overseas Vietnamese.

He recalled making a prediction to a colleague during his tenure in Vietnam that despite the country's slower development pace as compared to other nations at the time, he was confident that Vietnam would eventually surge ahead at a much quicker pace and soon overtake other economies. That forecast has proven remarkably accurate.

From his first weeks in Vietnam in mid-2006, Kember was struck by the nation's deep respect for education. He observed strategic investment in the sector as a foundation for future development, noting the Vietnamese government's strategic decision to maximise opportunities.

The growing number of Vietnamese students in New Zealand, he added, demonstrated Vietnam’s commitment to encouraging young people to gain international knowledge.

Beyond education, New Zealand companies have actively contributed to Vietnam's economic development across various sectors including food and dairy, manufacturing, and services. Kember described his time in the S-shaped country as both fascinating and rewarding, expressing joy at witnessing Vietnam's subsequent transformation.

He recalled how the embassy's trade and development team maintained a busy schedule. Through his working trips, Kember took pleasure in discovering ways New Zealand could contribute to development programmes in various Vietnamese localities. New Zealand's customs, defence, and police attachés made frequent visits, engaging with their Vietnamese counterparts on ways to strengthen bilateral relations.

The defence ties, he noted, were advanced through navy visits as well as those by senior military personnel, and engagement around Vietnam’s potential for contributions to the UN peace operations.

At a time when Vietnam was taking on more responsibility for leading regional initiatives, he said he was pleased to see New Zealand able to increase the number of places for English language training for senior and middle-ranking officials. He expressed his pride to be in the country as it hosted APEC Economic Leaders' Week in 2006 and participate in successful negotiations for the ASEAN – New Zealand Free Trade Agreement that entered into force in 2010 right after he completed his assignment.

Since both countries elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership earlier this year, Kember held that cooperation standards between the two countries have risen significantly. However, he stressed that actions speak louder than words, noting both nations have engaged in genuinely deeper exchanges benefiting both countries.

As Vietnam and New Zealand are part of the Asia-Pacific region, “finding common ground is essential, as is being honest about the reasons for any points of difference”, he underscored, viewing trade relations and cooperation in defence and education, and people-to-people exchanges as key pillars of the bilateral relationship that require constant effort by Government and noꦑn-Government players to tra൩nsform aspirations into positive actions./.