Ambassador Iain Frew: Vietnam - UK relations are at a very exciting time

British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew affirmed that the Vietnam-UK relationship is at a "very exciting time" with "substantive achievements" achieved over the past years.

On the occasion ofPresident Vo Van Thuong leading the Vietnamese delegation to attend the coronation ceremony of King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from May 4-6, 2023, Ambassador Iain Frew gave an interview to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA). The following is the content of the interview: Dear Ambassador, what is the significance of President Vo Van Thuong's visit to attend the coronation ceremony of the British King in the context of 2023 marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries? For the UK, this is truly a very important moment. We have not had a coronation ceremony in the past 70 years. Therefore, the visit of President Vo Van Thuong, along with other world leaders, to the UK to mark this meaningful event is extremely important. In the context of the 50th anniversary of the UK-Vietnam bilateral relationship, the visit is a strong signal that the two countries can work together to deepen that relationship, as well as exploit the potential for cooperation in different areas. This is one of the first foreign trips of President Vo Van Thuong in his term, after his visit to Laos, which was a special honour for the UK. During the visit, the two sides will discuss activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, as well as areas and directions for cooperation, in trade, climate, energy, defence and security. The Vietnam-UK strategic partnership is progressing well, especially in three areas of cooperation: education, trade and sustainable development. How is President Vo Van Thuong's visit to the UK expected to promote bilateral cooperation between the two countries? During the visit and the Coronation Ceremony, President Vo Van Thuong will meet with senior UK leaders and ministers. I am sure that the leaders of both sides will have the opportunity to raise some of the priority areas, includingeducation , sustainable development and trade. These are areas where there is great potential for further cooperation, despite the achievements in the bilateral relationship to date. In addition, President Vo Van Thuong will meet with business leaders and representatives of non-governmental organisations who help to bridge the UK and Vietnam to unlock this potential. In recent discussions between myself and President Vo Van Thuong, as well as other senior Vietnamese leaders, both sides have recognised the great potential for educational cooperation. UK universities and other higher education institutions offer a wide range of programmes, and we are delighted that so many Vietnamese students are studying and want to study in the UK. I believe that we can do more to promote educational cooperation and ensure that the partnership strengthens and supports the education system and development in Vietnam. How does the Ambassador assess the prospects for the development of the bilateral relationship in the coming time? This is a very exciting time in the relationship between the UK and Vietnam. We have achieved some substantial achievements in areas within the framework of the Strategic Partnership in recent years, such as the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. However, if we look at other areas, there is still a lot of potential for bilateral cooperation. On trade, we have just concluded negotiations for the UK to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Vietnam has given great support to that process. In 2022, bilateral trade between the UK and Vietnam increased by 20% to £6.4 billion. This is great, but I think we can still do better. Both sides can support their companies to invest more, trade more. British investors see Vietnam as a high-growth market with great potential. Vietnam is also a very open country to investors, always trying to create a stable investment and business environment. This will support Vietnam's economic growth. So I think the two countries have great potential for trade and investment cooperation.

On the environment and climate front, we have been working hard to help meet the high ambitions of both countries. The Vietnamese government and leaders have set out an ambitious roadmap towards net zero emissions by 2050 at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow. This ambition needs to be matched by partners from the international community, in particular the G7, Norway and Denmark, who have joined the Just Energy Transition Partnership. This is a leading effort and the UK is co-leading an effort to mobilise US$15.5 billion with the ambition to reform and create a framework for renewable energy investment in Vietnam. This is not only a commitment from international partners, but also a commitment from the Vietnamese government to truly create an environment to attract investment and develop renewable energy in Vietnam. In addition, the potential for cooperation in green economic development is huge. Investors are looking for access to renewable energy. Consumers are looking for green products. I think the Vietnamese Government recognises that huge potential, and the UK is ready to support Vietnam. I think that is another area that will continue to grow very strongly. The final area that I want to mention is our defence and security relationship. I think the UK and Vietnam, in many ways, share a view of the world. We both value the rules-based international order, international law, and important principles such as sovereignty and territorial integrity, which leads us to have similar positions on a number of international issues, particularly the importance of regional and international stability and security. In this region, the UK is very much in favour of a free and open Indo-Pacific, where the South China Sea is managed in a stable way that respects the interests of countries, including Vietnam. The UK is also very supportive of international law and Vietnam’s position on this issue. Vietnam and the Vietnamese Government are looking to modernise and diversify their defence and military sectors. The UK has a lot of potential, which we are starting to see. The two countries have cooperated in areas such as peacekeeping and also in developing the defence industry. I think in the future we will see more military exchanges, such as naval ship visits. I was delighted to welcome a Royal Navy ship to Ho Chi Minh City in February and I hope that the two sides will cooperate even more effectively in the future. Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview!

Thu Huong (Vietnam News Agency)