Vietnam & UK hold talks on strengthening bilateral strategic partnership

In a bid to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership between the UK and Vietnam, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab exchanged dialogues over a phone call on July 13.  Expressing their belief that the two nations had a huge potential to enhance mutual cooperation mechanisms, Minh proposed that UK and Vietnam shall felicitate the talks at deputy ministerial level and increase the visits in near future, claim reports.  

UK has exempted the travellers from Vietnam from undergoing the mandatory 14-day quarantine protocol amid COVID-19 pandemic. As per local media reports, Minh hailed the British government’s efforts to promote international collaboration and assistance in the global fight against the pandemic. He also pledged strong cooperation with the British government to contain the pandemic. Stressing on the need for mutual support in citizen protection, Hinh said that the two nations must relax regulations for foreign investors, experts, managers, and labourers and look towards the restriction-free movement.  

The two ministers also lauded their countries’ diplomatic relations and called for more efforts towards signing of the Vietnam-UK free trade deal.

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UK’s key ally in Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia

While British minister Raab highlighted that Vietnam was the UK’s key ally in Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, he emphasized that the UK would strengthen economic and trade ties with Vietnam. Reportedly, he added, the UK would enhance Vietnam’s involvement in its international relations and foreign policy “to deepen the strategic partnership”. Raab acknowledged Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship and non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council (UNSC) and thanked Mihn for ensuring the recovery of the British pilot Stephen Cameron from COVID-19 and arranging his safe return to home.  

Stressing on the reinforcement of the ASEAN-UK relationship, Raab endorsed his country's support in maintaining peace, security, and stability, as well as respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS) for Vietnam.

Earlier, last month, Vietnam ratified a significant trade deal with the European Union nations in order to bolster its manufacturing sector and exports in a National Assembly where lawmakers approved a Vietnam-EU cooperation agreement.  

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(Image Credit: Twitter/@FMPhamBinhMinh)