Sydney, June 16 -- The Vietnam - New Zealand relationship is grounded in over 50 years of personal and institutional connections, bolstered by common values and growing multilateral cooperation, according to Suzannah Jessep, Executive Director of the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondent in Oceania, Jessep highlighted that the bilateral relationship has its roots in early engagements through family connections, medical professionals and Colombo Plan scholars-paving the way for enduring goodwill between the two nations. Vietnam joined the Colombo Plan in 2003.

Today, Jessep noted, these connections are strengthened through educational exchanges, capacity-building programmes, short-term wor...