Vietnam and the UK have agreed to increase all-round cooperation, especially in trade, maritime navigation, finance-banking, and education, aiming to raise bilateral trade to US$4 billion this year.
British PM David Cameron (L) welcomed Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong at his office, No10 Downing Street in London
The agreement was reached during talks in London on January 22 (local time) between British Prime Minister David Cameron and Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who is visiting the UK.The British government attaches great importance to strengthening relations with Vietnam, Cameron told Trong.
He said the UK will try to accelerate the implementation of its commitments with Vietnam in priority areas, primarily in the exchange of delegations, and cooperation in education-training for university and post-graduate students.
The UK wants to boost its investment in the Southeast Asian nation, lift bilateral trade to a new level, encourage its universities to increase scholarships for Vietnamese students, and speed up signed projects, said Cameron.
For his part, Party leader Trong expressed his pleasure at the comprehensive development of bilateral ties after the two countries established the strategic partnership in September 2010.
He echoed Cameron’s view, saying Vietnam wants to promote economic, trade and investment cooperation, as well as cooperation in education, and national defence and security with the UK.
In the evening, the British government held a banquet in honour of Trong and his entourage.
On this occasion, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the exchange of immigration information between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the UK Border Agency, and the 2013 Vietnam-UK plan of action.
They also signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint working group on national defence cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence and the UK Ministry of Defence.
Another memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the Vietnam-UK university in the central city of Danang was also signed during the visit.
After the talks, the Party leader visited the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK and witnessed the debut of the leadership of the network for friends of Vietnam, founded by British individuals who love Vietnam.
He praised Vietnamese nationals for turning their hearts and minds to the homeland through practical activities they have carried out, showing the tradition of mutual assistance.
He noted that his tour of the UK, Italy, Belgium and the European Union aims to further the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and these countries and the EU.
The Party chief asked embassy staff and the Vietnamese community in the UK to make a greater contribution to fostering the strategic partnership between Vietnam and the UK.
Trong arrived in London on January 22 for an official visit to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland at the invitation of British Prime Minister David Cameron.
The London visit, last stopover during his European tour, is expected to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
