Bright spots in Vietnam-UK relations

Over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Vietnam-UK relationship has been continuously strengthened and developed. In particular, the signing of the Joint Statement officially upgrading the relationship to a Strategic Partnership in September 2010 has opened up many frameworks and mechanisms for cooperation between the two countries.

[caption id="attachment_609878" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] President Vo Van Thuong and British King Charles III. Photo: VNA release[/caption]

On September 11, 1973, the United Kingdom was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in the context of Vietnam's struggle for independence and national reunification. Over the course of history, especially since the two countries decided to upgrade their relationship to a "Strategic Partnership" in 2010, Vietnam-UK relations have developed strongly within the multilateral and bilateral framework. In 2020, the Foreign Ministers of the two countries issued a Joint Statement on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership (2010-2020) with a vision towards upgrading the relationship to a higher level.

In terms of politics and diplomacy, Vietnam and the UK maintain regular high-level visits, enhance exchanges and cooperation at the ministerial and senior official levels between relevant agencies of the two governments, and promote exchanges between the National Assembly, political parties, local authorities and people of the two countries. Regular high-level visits create momentum for a dynamic and positive relationship.

Since 2020, despite difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have regularly exchanged high-level delegations, notably on the Vietnamese side, there was a visit to the UK by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (November 2021); National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (June 2022); President Vo Van Thuong attended the coronation ceremony of King Charles III of the UK in the UK (May 2023); and on the British side, there were visits to Vietnam by First Minister, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Development Dominic Raab (September 2020, June 2021); Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace (July 2021); British Government Minister, President of COP26 Alok Kumar Sharma (February 2022, August 2022)...

In addition, the two sides also strengthen cooperation and close coordination with each other at multilateral forums and international organizations, especially at the United Nations (UN), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union (EU), the World Trade Organization (WTO), etc.

Along with politics and diplomacy, trade and investment are the bright spots and priority pillars in the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership. The UK is currently the third largest trading partner in the European market, the ninth largest export market of Vietnam and an important European investor in Vietnam.

During the period from 2010 to 2018, the growth rate of bilateral import and export turnover between Vietnam and the UK increased by an average of 17.8% per year, higher than the average of Vietnam at 10% per year. Notably, the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UKVFTA) at the end of 2020 helped the trade turnover between the two countries increase by nearly 11% from 2020 to 2021. In 2022, despite facing many difficulties due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral trade between Vietnam and the UK still reached 6.836 billion USD, up 3% compared to 2021; of which, exports to the UK reached more than 6 billion USD, up 5.2%; imports from the UK reached 771 million USD, down 9.2%.

Vietnam’s advantageous export items to the UK include seafood, wood and wood products, textiles, footwear, tin, computers, phones and electronic components, etc.; the main imported products from the UK are machinery, equipment for production, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc.

Regarding investment between the two countries, the UK is in the top 20 countries with FDI capital in Vietnam. According to data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as of August 20, 2023, the UK has 542 valid investment projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of about 4.288 billion USD.

In development cooperation, the UK is one of the leading donors to Vietnam (£50 million/year for the period 2006-2010), having completed a 10-year Development Partnership Agreement (ADP) with Vietnam for the period 2006-2015. Although the UK stopped providing ODA development aid in 2016, it still maintains support for Vietnam through development funds such as the Prosperity Fund and the Newton Fund, continuing to support Vietnam in developing technology, research and innovation, strengthening public governance, improving the business environment, green growth, renewable energy, etc.

Defense-security cooperation between the two countries has also developed positively. The two sides have exchanged many defense and security delegations, promoted training cooperation and information exchange; and both sides have sent Defense Attachés. In recent years, the UK has regularly sent naval ships to visit Vietnam. The two countries' Defense Ministries have upgraded the annual Defense Policy Dialogue to the Deputy Minister level, maintained 4 meetings, rotating in each country; established a Working Group on Defense Cooperation, promoted cooperation in many priority areas, such as peacekeeping within the framework of the United Nations (the UK transferred the field hospital of the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan to Vietnam)...

[caption id="attachment_607532" align="aligncenter" width="1068"] Education is one of the bright spots in the cooperation between Vietnam and the UK. Illustrative photo: VNA[/caption]

In the health sector, Vietnam and the UK have been implementing very active and effective cooperation activities through Government agencies, non-governmental organizations and UK Funds.

In particular, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK has actively supported Vietnam in accessing vaccines and healthcare in general as the UK is one of the leading countries in researching and manufacturing vaccines to prevent and fight the epidemic.

In addition, the cooperation between the two countries in the field of education is also very active with the presence of the British Council in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City and the establishment of joint training programs between universities of the two countries. More than 12,000 Vietnamese students are also studying at British schools./.

Khanh Duong