Suzannah Jessep: Asia New Zealand Foundation Chief Executive on the importance of Vietnam ahead of PM's visit

Christopher Luxon is heading to Vietnam this week for bilateral talks.

This visit comes as the Asia New Zealand foundation put out a report which explores potential ways that we can improve our bilateral relationship with Vietnam.

The report included strengthening trade in fashion and food, and collaborating on defence and security matters. 

Chief Executive of the Asia New Zealand Foundation Suzannah Jessep talks to Andrew Dickens.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Prime Minister are off of Vietnam this week for
bilateral talks. It comes as a New Zealand Asia Foundation
put out a report which explores potential ways that we
can improve this relationship with Vietnam. It includes things like
strengthening trade and stuff like fashion and food, and collaborating
on defense and security matters, which are something the top
of mind. Have you noticed. Susannah Jessup is the chief

(00:20):
executive of the New Zealand Asia Foundation and joins you
this morning. Good morning to says Anna.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning. Andrew's lovely to join you.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
Very good. Now, look, when we talk about Asia trade,
we know about Indonesia and China, but how much of
a powerhouse is Vietnam these days.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, it's good to think of Vietnam as a pacesetter
in Southeast Asia. It's, as you noted, and you're opening
one of the fastest growing economies in the region, I think,
averaging around seven percent. But it's also one of the
most youthful countries in Southeast Asia, which is really helping
to drive that consumption and demand. Because of that, it's

(00:56):
attracting a lot of attention. Is what's called a China
now plus one investment destination where Vietnam has increasingly be
chosen by countries because it's stable and because of that
growth increasingly influential. So for New Zealand, it's really about
connecting to this growth, as we did with China. How
do you say the name?

Speaker 1 (01:16):
How do you say the name? You say Vietnam, I
see Vietnam. How should we say it? Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Either, I mean it's an extent.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
No, No, you're good. Well, if we're working on a
bilateral relationship, it always pays to actually get the name right,
you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, okay, absolutely, Okay.
So this is big, So you've been studying it. Where
can we what can we offer to each other to
strengthen this relationship. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
In the past, as you rightly noted, it was much
about New Zealand offering development sport to Vietnam. So, for example,
in the early nineteen sixties we were a gentleman called
Dr Michael Sheckleton and his team were offering medical care
in sort of treatment during the Vietnam or whereas today

(02:03):
it's much more about mutual opportunity. So looking at areas
of agritech and food production, or looking at New Zealand
providing education services, but you know, we had forty eight
thousand New Zealand tourists go to Vietnam last year, so
that two way services. Trade. Fisheries management is another area

(02:23):
of priority for Vietnam, helping with energy transitions, so both
looking at clean green energy options, particularly as AI comes
into alone.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
Good good. In your report you also mentioned defense, and
of course our thoughts are about defense because of the
activity of Chinese naval ships near Australia and New Zealand.
You know, what do you make of all of this
and how could Vietnam help us in defense?

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, like late New Zealand, naval and coastal defense is
Vietnam's number one focus. So they have the South China
Sea which has claimed parts of Vietnam's Exclusive economic zone.
But there's also concerned along the Mekong River of militarization
and for trade for excess of vessels. So we two

(03:13):
are concerned that our region not be militarized, and so
we would look to work together for modernization of our militaries,
for exercises together human and disaster relief assistance and peacekeeping,
but coming together as two militaries where we want to
see freedom of navigation and a peaceful, secure region.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Toby Also, Zanna, thank you so much for getting up
earlier for us as an anticip as the chief executive
of the New Zealand Asia Foundation. For more from Early
Edition with Ryan Bridge.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
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