These firms operated in wide range of sectors such as food processing, pharmaceuticals, leather and footwear, machinery and equipment.

In his speech at a business matching conference organised as part of the trip, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Viet Dung described Vietnam as an effective gateway for New Zealand’s enterprises to penetrate lucrative Asean markets.

The ambassador also emphasized the importance of accelerating co-operation between the two business communities, especially when it comes to the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, which both Vietnam and New Zealand are involved in.