Wednesday, July 31, 2013

New Zealand Governor-General to visit Southeast Asia

July 31, 2013
Xinhua

New Zealand Governor-General Jerry Mateparae will visit Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos next month to bolster trade and development links in Southeast Asia.

The trip was an opportunity to reinforce strong and friendly relations with the three nations and support New Zealand's significant engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Mateparae said in a statement Wednesday.

"Southeast Asia is one of the world's most dynamic economic growth areas and ASEAN of which Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are all members is New Zealand's third largest trading partner," he said.

Mateparae would arrive in Vietnam on Aug. 3, where he would witness the signing of the second phase of the Comprehensive Partnership Action Plan - a plan to promote bilateral links in sectors such as trade and business, science and technology, agriculture, education, defense, policing, development assistance and customs cooperation and a Double Taxation Agreement.

In Cambodia from Aug. 8, he would undertake a series of engagements to highlight New Zealand's development assistance to Cambodia.

The three-day visit to Laos from Aug. 12, would see the two countries mark 50 years of diplomatic relations and Mateparae would see New Zealand-supported operations to clear unexploded ordnance.

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