During his working trip to Melbourne on November 20, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien held talks with New Zealand Minister of Trade and Investment Todd McClay on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security and several agencies under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

The two ministers discussed issues of mutual interest, including the US reciprocal tax policy, the potential expansion of CPTPP membership and the proposed upgrade of several provisions in the agreement.

Minister McClay shared New Zealand’s perspectives and approach regarding the US reciprocal tax policy. On the issue of expanding membership, he stressed that launching negotiations with several economies would be necessary and strategically important for the CPTPP at this time. He also proposed options to address resource constraints in case CPTPP members agree to initiate parallel accession talks. Regarding the upgrade agenda, the New Zealand minister recommended developing a comprehensive programme that covers all areas of interest to member economies.

Minister Nguyen Hong Dien appreciated the information and viewpoints shared by his counterpart. He noted that while expanding membership is important, CPTPP members should first prioritise effective implementation of the agreement to maximise current opportunities. He suggested developing a transparent, objective and predictable accession process consistent with CPTPP rules and the consensus principle. He also emphasised the need for a coordinated mechanism to allocate resources appropriately in the event multiple economies seek to join the pact.

On the proposed upgrade of the CPTPP, the Minister reaffirmed that negotiations must ensure balance and take into account the interests and views of all members.

Concluding the meeting, the two ministers agreed to task technical teams with continuing discussions and coordinating with other CPTPP members to advance deliberations on shared concerns, especially in 2026 when Vietnam will serve as CPTPP Chair.