Joe Biden: NZ and US 'have accomplished extraordinary things together'

New Zealand has never been a more "consequential" partner of the United States than now, says US vice-president Joe Biden in a video recording to mark a US Independence Day celebration in Wellington tonight hosted by US ambassador Mark Gilbert.

Mr Biden made a special mention of the work the two countries are doing to get the Trans Pacific Partnership deal among 12 countries completed.

"Our nations, the United States and New Zealand and our people have always been bound together by the common commitment to a more democratic, open and prosperous and secure world," he said "and as we continue our nation's rebalance strategy in the Asia Pacific region, partners like New Zealand have never been more consequential.

"Nowhere is that more clear than in the remarkable progress we have made together in the Trans Pacific Partnership."

Mr Biden then quoted Sir Edmund Hillary as having said 'people do not decide to become extraordinary; they decide to accomplish extraordinary things.'

"Our people have accomplished extraordinary things together and in the coming Pacific century we will achieve even more together."

New Zealand would be the first to see in July 4 on Saturday, which marked 239 years since his country was founded,

"on the basis self-evident truth that all men and women are created equal."

"And it's a truth that continues to guide every American heart whether living at home or abroad. It's a value we share in common with the people of New Zealand."

Mr Gilbert, a former professional baseball player, began his posting in February and tonight hosted an Independence Day event with sports theme.

The entry ticket was modelled on the 1979 Baseball World Series ticket, the year that his home town's Pittsburgh Pirates met the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.

In speech notes he said it was also the year he was traded as a professional player from the Chicago Cubs to the Cincinnati Reds - and the year he met his wife, Nancy.

He said Pirates' theme song was the Sister Sledge song "We Are Family," a song which could be the US - New Zealand theme song because he and his wife had been welcomed like family.

"When President Obama asked me to serve in New Zealand, he joked that I was because Kiwis are just as crazy about sports as I am."

He spoke about the sports people who inspired others through their intense focus on achieving their greatest potential. Among those he highlighted were New Zealanders Sir Peter Blake, Dame Susan Devoy, and Steven and Valerie Adams; and African American baseball player Jackie Robinson, tennis legend Billie Jean King and the US women's national soccer team.