Vietnam-UK relationship bears fruit

The event was co-organized by the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association, the British Embassy in Vietnam, the British Council, and the British Business Group Vietnam (BBGV).

Hoang Van Dung

In his opening speech, President of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association Hoang Van Dung highlighted the effective cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

He said during the past 38 years, the two countries have witnessed remarkable development in such fields as economics, trade and investment. They have gained impressive achievements since Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s official visit to the UK in March 2008. In September 2010, the Foreign Ministers of Vietnam and the UK, Pham Gia Khiem and William Hague, signed the Joint Declaration on the strategic partnership between the two countries, providing a framework for developing bilateral relations between the two countries in a comprehensive manner, he stated.

Hoang Van Dung, who is also Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), emphasized that the UK is currently the largest donor for Vietnam (about US$100 million per year) with 105 projects worth nearly US$1.9 billion. In 2010, two-way trade reached US$2,170 billion.

The UK has been an ideal destination for Vietnamese students to continue their studies. There are more than 7,000 Vietnamese students studying in the UK at the moment, he added.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung welcomed in the UK

Addressing the function, British Ambassador to Vietnam Antony Stokes expressed his pleasure at the constant development of bilateral ties, saying that “the relationship between the UK and Vietnam is indeed wider and deeper than ever before”.

He said the two countries are working towards new milestones, including the first government Strategic Dialogue in London in October, the first direct flights between Hanoi and London and Ho Chi Minh City and London by Vietnam Airlines in December, the first Vietnam-UK International Standards University in Da Nang, and the completion of the first joint Plan of Action between the two governments, with ambitious action in trade, culture, development, politics and economics.

Ambassador Antony Stokes

The British Ambassador expressed hope that Vietnam will become more open to British businesses and let them play a bigger role in economic stability and growth.

He thanked British NGOs and Vietnamese partners for cooperating effectively to bring mutual benefits.

Representatives from the Highland Education Development Organization (HEDO), Oxfam UK and the People's Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM) spoke of projects paying off in Vietnam and called for more financial assistance and support from British agencies, including the BBGV.