Ambassador Do Minh Hung: General Secretary To Lam's visit elevates Vietnam-UK relations to a new stage

Ambassador Do Minh Hung expressed his belief that General Secretary To Lam's visit to the UK will comprehensively promote the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries to a new height, contributing to realizing the country's development goals in the next period.

General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, are about to pay an official visit to the UK. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

On the occasion of General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, on their upcoming official visit to the UK, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Do Minh Hung gave an interview to the World and Vietnam Newspaper, emphasizing the importance of the visit and the outstanding milestones of the Vietnam-UK Strategic Partnership.

How does the Ambassador assess the significance of General Secretary To Lam's upcoming official visit to the UK, especially as the two countries celebrate 15 years of their Strategic Partnership (2010-2025)? What key activities are expected of the Vietnamese leaders during the visit?

Ambassador of Vietnam to the UK, Do Minh Hung.

From October 28-30, General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, will pay an official visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This is the first visit of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to the UK in 12 years, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership between the two countries (2010-2025).

The official visit to the UK by General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, takes place in the context of multifaceted cooperation between the two countries through the framework of the Strategic Partnership, which has developed very well in recent years.

In terms of political and diplomatic relations, the two sides regularly exchange delegations at all levels and effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms, supporting each other in multilateral forums and international organizations.

Economically, trade has maintained a positive growth rate of 18-20% annually for many years, making Vietnam a leading trading partner of the UK in Southeast Asia. Cooperation in education and training, science and technology, defense and security, and people-to-people exchanges has yielded many positive results.

This visit is of paramount importance, providing an opportunity for both sides to exchange views and agree on directions to strengthen and elevate the relationship to a new level in the coming period, increasing political trust, enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation in traditional areas such as trade and investment, education and training, science and technology, and expanding cooperation in new areas where the UK has strengths and which are consistent with Vietnam's development requirements, such as finance, high technology, strategic infrastructure, green energy, and sustainable development.

The visit affirms Vietnam's independent, self-reliant, diversified, and multilateral foreign policy, aimed at peace, cooperation, and development, contributing to enhancing Vietnam's prestige and diplomatic standing in the region and the world.

During the visit, General Secretary To Lam is expected to hold talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meet with leaders of the National Assembly to exchange and agree on measures to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, and attend and deliver a keynote speech at a high-level economic conference with many major British businesses to enhance cooperation in finance and banking, energy, science and technology, and green development.

At Oxford University, a leading research and training center in the UK, General Secretary To Lam is expected to deliver an important policy speech on the vision for the framework of Vietnam-UK relations and Vietnam's reform and development orientation in the era of national progress.

During the visit, the General Secretary will also meet with representatives of the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in the UK. This is one of the first activities of the visit, affirming the consistent policy of the Party and State towards the Vietnamese community abroad and the General Secretary's concern for the Vietnamese community in the UK.

During the visit, the two sides are expected to sign and approve several important cooperation documents in the fields of politics and diplomacy, economy and trade, science and technology, green transformation, and sustainable development.

Numerous cooperation agreements between universities and businesses of the two countries will also be signed, opening up tremendous opportunities in training, research, finance and banking, and healthcare – areas where the UK excels and which align with Vietnam's development orientation.

I firmly believe that the official visit to the UK by General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, will be a great success, comprehensively promoting multifaceted cooperation between the two countries to a new level, contributing to the achievement of the country's development goals in the new period and enhancing Vietnam's prestige and diplomatic standing in the region and the world.

Party Central Committee Secretary and Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung held a phone call with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on the evening of October 18th at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters. (Photo: Thanh Long)

Ambassador, what are the key areas of focus in the Vietnam-UK Strategic Partnership? What are your expectations regarding the momentum of this visit for future bilateral relations?

The strategic partnership between Vietnam and the UK is currently in a very positive stage of development, with many outstanding achievements in areas of bilateral cooperation and effective coordination between the two countries in multilateral forums and international organizations.

In terms of politics and diplomacy, the two countries regularly maintain exchanges of delegations at all levels, especially at the high level, and effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Strategic Dialogue at the Deputy Foreign Minister level and the Joint Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation (JETCO).

In the field of security and defense, the two sides maintain Defense Policy Consultations and Migration Dialogue, focusing on cooperation in peacekeeping training, combating organized crime, cybersecurity, and illegal migration.

Recently, the Strategic Action Plan for the period 2024-2026 has been effectively implemented, focusing on priority areas such as politics, diplomacy, economics, sustainable growth, science and technology, education, human resource development, and cooperation in responding to climate change.

In terms of economics and trade, the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), implemented since 2021, has helped boost bilateral trade significantly amidst challenging global economic conditions, reaching a record high of US$8.4 billion in 2024 (an 18% increase compared to 2023). Both sides aim to increase bilateral trade to US$10 billion in the near future. The UK is currently Vietnam's third largest trading partner in Europe, and Vietnam is the UK's largest trading partner in Southeast Asia.

In terms of investment, as of 2024, the UK had 587 investment projects with a total capital of nearly US$4.46 billion, mainly concentrated in the fields of finance and banking, information technology, manufacturing, renewable energy, and service sectors such as education, healthcare, transportation, and real estate. These are areas where the UK has strengths and are consistent with Vietnam's economic development orientation, green transformation, and innovation.

Cooperation in education, training, and science and technology between Vietnam and the UK is also a highlight in bilateral relations, with significant progress made in recent years. The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on educational cooperation in 2019, with strong collaboration between leading universities in the UK and Vietnam in joint training, teaching, scientific research, and academic exchange. The UK also actively supports improving English language training capacity in Vietnam and expanding scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in the UK.

As I mentioned above, the upcoming official visit to the UK by General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, is of paramount importance, especially in strengthening and elevating the relationship to a new level in the coming period.

The potential for cooperation between the two countries is considered very large, especially in areas where the UK has strengths and which align with our development goals, such as digital transformation, innovation, financial and banking cooperation (particularly the International Finance Centre project in Vietnam), sustainable energy, human resource development, and scientific research. Both sides agreed that these areas of cooperation will be new drivers for multifaceted cooperation between the two countries in this new phase of development.

Vietnam and the UK signed an action plan to combat human trafficking in April 2025. (Source: British Embassy in Vietnam)

Over the years, the UK has consistently been a top choice for Vietnamese students studying abroad. Looking ahead, what steps should the two countries take to promote cooperation in education and training in priority areas such as science and technology, innovation, international finance, and semiconductors, while simultaneously strengthening friendly ties through young ambassadors – Vietnamese students who have studied in the UK?

Over the years, the UK has consistently been an attractive destination for Vietnamese students, with approximately 15,000 students currently studying at UK universities, colleges, and high schools.

Educational cooperation between Vietnam and the UK has been a highlight in their strategic partnership, creating a solid foundation for developing high-quality human resources to meet the challenges and demands of the global era of technology and innovation.

Priority areas such as science and technology, innovation, international finance, and the semiconductor industry play a crucial role in the socio-economic development orientation of both countries. Vietnam values ​​innovation and high technology as a new driving force for development, focusing on developing new technologies such as semiconductor chips, artificial intelligence, green technology, energy transition, and finance, while the UK is a leading research and innovation center, possessing a developed technology ecosystem and financial market.

To promote educational and training cooperation in these fields, both sides need to expand academic exchange programs, develop interdisciplinary research projects, and organize in-depth workshops to share knowledge and practical experience. At the same time, they should strengthen the training of high-quality human resources through joint training programs, student and expert exchanges between schools and educational institutions.

The role of Vietnamese students studying in the UK is crucial in enhancing people-to-people exchanges and strengthening friendly relations between the two countries. This student community also acts as cultural ambassadors, bridging the gap to inspire and promote the cultural traditions and image of their homeland.

Building and developing a network of Vietnamese students in the UK, organizing community activities, and developing leadership skills will help promote this role, while also enabling them to contribute to fostering bilateral relations and contributing to the country's development in the future.

Thank you very much, Ambassador!

"I firmly believe that the official visit to the UK by General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, will be a great success, comprehensively promoting multifaceted cooperation between the two countries to a new level, contributing to the achievement of the country's development goals in the new period and enhancing Vietnam's prestige and diplomatic standing in the region and the world." (Ambassador Do Minh Hung)

Ambassador Do Minh Hung (front row, fourth from the left) with delegates attending the 10th Congress of the Vietnamese Student Association in the United Kingdom (SVUK), term 2024-2026, December 2024.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dai-su-do-minh-hung-chuyen-tham-cua-tong-bi-thu-to-lam-nang-tam-quan-he-viet-nam-anh-trong-giai-doan-moi-332323.html