New Zealand Ambassador gives presentation on New Zealand - Southeast Asia diplomatic relations

On May 20, 2009, New Zealand Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam, Mr. James Kember visited and worked at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

The Ambassador said that the purpose of the visit was to seek information to promote and support the promotion of cooperation activities between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and other universities and organizations in New Zealand. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Rector of the University received Mr. Kember.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2009/05/22/0452-0109.jpg" border="0" alt="Professor Nguyen Van Khanh (right) and Ambassador James Kember" title="Professor Nguyen Van Khanh (right) and Ambassador James Kember" width="320" height="214" align="right" ]

According to the ambassador, Vietnam is one of the 10 countries with the largest number of international students in New Zealand and Vietnamese students are intelligent and good at studying. If in the past, New Zealand mainly received international students to study English, now this country wants to open its doors to welcome foreign students to study other basic and applied sciences at universities. In addition, establishing scientific and educational cooperation with universities in Southeast Asia in general and Vietnam in particular is also a special concern of New Zealand.

Prof. Nguyen Van Khanh also introduced the activities of the University, especially the effective cooperation programs of the University with foreign universities and organizations in recent times. He also mentioned a number of newly opened majors in Vietnam that are currently in need of development support from foreign experts. The University of Social Sciences and Humanities has just officially established a cooperative relationship with a neighboring university, Victoria University. In recent years, the number of staff members of the University sent to study postgraduate at a number of neighboring universities has increased. The Professor also asked the Ambassador to help invite New Zealand professors to teach in Vietnam. As for Mr. Kember personally, Prof. Nguyen Van Khanh expressed his hope to meet the Ambassador again as a professor at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities after he finishes his diplomatic term.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2009/05/22/0513-0130.jpg" border="0" alt="Ambassador James Kember in a talk with school students" title="Ambassador James Kember in a talk with school students" width="214" height="320" align="left" ]

After the official meeting, Mr. James Kember had a talk with students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities on the topic: New Zealand's diplomatic activities in Southeast Asia from 1950 to 1980. In particular, he especially emphasized the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and New Zealand from 1977 to the present. The diplomatic relations between the two countries were still in their infancy in 1977 when New Zealand supported the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to become a member of the United Nations. Through many stages, there were times when the relationship between the two sides was limited due to objective circumstances. In 1995, the embassy and consulate in Ho Chi Minh City were opened. Prime Minister Jim Bolger led a delegation of many officials and trade representatives to attend the opening ceremony of this representative office. This was the first visit of a New Zealand leader to Vietnam.

Since 2005, bilateral cooperation has grown stronger with increasing frequency of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Enthusiastically supporting Vietnam’s accession to the WTO and becoming a member of the UN Security Council, New Zealand has always trusted and highly appreciated Vietnam’s influence, development prospects and ability to contribute to the common prosperity of the region. New Zealand is also committed to building a broader and deeper relationship with Vietnam and will focus more resources to implement this commitment.

Before becoming New Zealand's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam, Mr. Kember was a historian. He was the Director of the Asian Research Institute, Auckland National University. He said that his research on the Vietnam - New Zealand cooperative relationship in the past has given him a lot of good experience in diplomatic work over the years.

During the presentation, the Ambassador also received many questions from students asking him to comment on New Zealand's role in the region, the New Zealand government's orientation on diplomacy with countries in Southeast Asia, specifying New Zealand's foreign policies towards Vietnam in each period in the past and present, New Zealand's scholarship policy for Vietnamese students...