Wellington (Bernama) - New Zealand has launched scholarships under the New ZealandAsean Scholars Award Programme which is hoped to help raise New Zealand's profile in Brunei as a study destination.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said this as he was meeting Brunei's visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Awg Lim Jock Seng, to discuss bilateral relationship and Brunei's priorities for its chairmanship of Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) next year.

New Zealand and Brunei government officials met Tuesday to discuss ties between the two nations as Brunei prepares to take over the chair of Asean.

"Brunei is one of our most valuable partners within Asean," Xinhua news agency quoted McCully in a statement.

"Our bilateral relationship is built on close cooperation in many areas including trade, investment, education and defence, and we look to work closely with Brunei when it holds the Asean chairmanship."

McCully said Brunei had partnered with New Zealand in several free trade agreement initiatives and was a participant in the wider Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations.

"We have also just launched scholarships for Brunei under the New Zealand/Asean Scholars Awards programme. I am confident this will help raise New Zealand's profile in Brunei as a study destination."