Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and UK Foreign Office Minister for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field. (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) –Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hosted a receptionfor UK Foreign Office Minister for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field in Hanoi onJanuary 5, where they commended active developments of the Vietnam-UK strategicpartnership.
Minh called on the UK Government to encourage British businesses to step uptheir investment and business in Vietnam, closely coordinate with theVietnamese side to raise the efficiency of the use of capital sourced from theUK Commonwealth Foundation and create favourable conditions for the country toaccess the fund.
He also suggested the UK Government continue coordination with its Vietnamesecounterpart in building a long-term development pathway for the Vietnam-UKInstitute for Research and Executive Education and make it easier for the entryand residence of Vietnamese students inthe country.
For his part, Mark Field highly valued achievements Vietnam has recorded insocio-economic development as well as in international integration in generaland trade liberalisation in particular.
He affirmed that the UK Government will prioritise deepening the strategicpartnership across fields in the time ahead.
Earlier the same day, Mark Field and Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Foreign MinisterBui Thanh Son co-chaired the sixth Vietnam-UK Strategic Dialogue, which tookplace in an open atmosphere and on the basis of mutual respect andunderstanding.
The two sides discussed orientations and concrete measures to beef up thestrategic partnership in a more practical and effective manner, particularly inpolitics-diplomacy, trade-investment, education-training, science-technologyand national defence-security, in the context that the two countries arecelebrating the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties(1973-2018).
They agreed to increase the exchange of all-level delegations while fruitfullyimplementing the strategic dialogue mechanism on diplomacy, national defenceand security.
At the same time, they will increase the promotion of trade, investment,culture and tourism, and people-to-people exchange, along with intensifyingtheir cooperation in international forums such as the UN, the Asia-EuropeMeeting (ASEM) and within the framework of the ASEAN-EU cooperation.
Bothsides stressed thateconomic cooperation will continue being a key pillar of the Vietnam-UK strategicpartnership.
Sonaffirmed that the Vietnamese Government will continue creating favourableconditions for UK enterprises to do effective business in the country in thefields of infrastructure development, finance-banking, insurance, oil and gas,energy and pharmacy.
The two sides agreed to foster cooperation to ensure the continuity of keycooperative fields, especially trade and investment, after Brexit.
The two countries will also boost connection in vocational training to develophigh-quality human resources for Vietnam as well as effectively implementactivities of the Vietnam-UK Institute for Research andExecutive Education in Da Nang University and scientific research projects in the framework of the NewtonProgramme Vietnam funded by the UK Government.
Regarding defence cooperation, Mark Field praised the fruitful relations betweenthe two countries’ Defence Ministries, reaffirming the continued implementationof bilateral cooperation mechanisms and the Defence Cooperation Memorandum ofUnderstanding between the two ministries.
The UK will continue supporting Vietnam in joining UN peace-keeping activities,he said.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to closely coordinating in fightingorganised crimes, human trafficking, illegal migration, and illegal trade of wildlife.
In the framework of the dialogue, the twoofficials compared notes on regional andinternational issues of common concern, agreeing on the importance of improvingthe efficiency of global administration as well as regional linkages, and therole of international law in resolving global issues.
Concerning the East Sea issue, they called on involved parties to show theirgoodwill in implementing international obligations, avoid activities that cancomplicate the situation and increase tension in the region.
They also stressed the increasingly important role played by ASEAN inmaintaining peace and stability in the region, reiterating that disputes must besolved by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(1982 UNCLOS).
The two sides also issued a joint press release on the outcomes of the dialogue.-VNA
VNA
