Vietnam, New Zealand constantly strengthen cooperation on crime prevention and combat

At the headquarters of the New Zealand Police, Commander of the New Zealand Police Andrew Coster expressed his joy when meeting and working with Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang for the first time.

On behalf of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang thanked the New Zealand Police for its effective support for the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security in training and building professional capacity of Vietnamese police officers over the past years.

Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang and New Zealand Police Commander Andrew Coster join other delegates in a group photo.

In order to further strengthen the good friendship between Vietnam and New Zealand in general and cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the New Zealand Police in particular, Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang and New Zealand Police Commander Andrew Coster agreed on several orientations for bilateral cooperation in the future.

Specifically, the two sides continue to exchange visits of high-level and expert-level delegations, share information about transnational organized crimes and terrorist threats to each country's national security.

The two sides will also study and expand cooperation contents of both sides’ interests in the framework of the Cooperation Agreement on Countering Transnational Crime signed in September 2019 between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Police. New Zealand, as well as conduct negotiations to sign cooperation documents, creating a legal corridor for cooperation in preventing and combating crimes related to the two countries, such as an agreement on extradition and agreement on transfer of imprisoned persons.

Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang also proposed that the New Zealand Police continue to support training and capacity building for Vietnamese police officers, English training programs specifically for officers from the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and scholarships for Vietnamese police officers to study abroad in New Zealand.

At the working session with leaders of the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang and Deputy Minister in charge of Immigration Catriona Robinson expressed delight at working with each other face to face for the first time.

The two sides wished to open up opportunities for cooperation between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment of New Zealand in the fight against crimes related to illegal immigration.

Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang suggested further exchanging visits of high-level and expert-level delegations, sharing information about transnational organized crimes, criminal lines involved in human trafficking and illegal migration activities.

Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang and Deputy Minister of Business, Innovation and Employment Catriona Robinson join other delegates in a group photo.

He expressed hope that the two sides will effectively implement the Cooperation Agreement on Countering Transnational Crime signed in September 2019 while early signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and the Vietnam Immigration Department on immigration, contributing to strengthening the fight against human trafficking and illegal immigration.

The two sides should also strengthen cooperation in exchanging information on illegal migration and combat fake visas to each country.

Deputy Minister Luong Tam Quang requested the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to guide New Zealand citizens to access the official webpage of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to apply for electronic visas to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese official also said that the Ministry of Public Security is ready to train New Zealander officers from the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in Vietnamese language.

Hoa Binh