British national museum, library introduce items on Vietnam
Speakers from the British Museum and Library have introduced documents on Vietnam’s culture and its long-standing ties with the UK, at a discovering-Vietnam event held at the D-Contemporary in central London.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long presents gifts to the three speakers at the event. (Photo: VNA)
London (VNA) – Speakers from the British Museum and Library have introduced documents on Vietnam’s culture and its long-standing ties with the UK, at a discovering-Vietnam event held at the D-Contemporary in central London.
The March 30 event was organsied by the Vietnamese Embassy as part of its Vietnamese Days in the UK programme lasting from March 28 to April 27.
One of the speakers, Sud Chonchirdsin, the curator for the Vietnamese collection at the British Library from 2005-2019, showed visitors to historical documents proving that the Vietnam-UK trade relationship was formed 350 years before the two countries officially established diplomatic relations in 1973. Among the items were two letters, one by Lord Trinh Tac sent in 1673 to William Gyfford, head of a delegation from the British Government’s British East India Company when the group came to establish diplomatic relations, and the other by Emperor Canh Thinh dated 1793 which was delivered to Special Envoy George Macartney, head of the British diplomatic mission.
He also presented the Vietnamese collection kept at the library, including nine Nom manuscripts dating back to the period between the 17th century to the 20th century, 10,000 printed books with diverse topics from the 19th century to now, and nearly 300 newspapers and magazines.
Sud Chonchirdsin, the curator for the Vietnamese collection at the British Library from 2005-2019, during his presentation at the event. (Photo: VNA)
Meanwhile, Jessica Harrison-Hall, head of the China section at the British Museum, told attendants about the development of Vietnam's ceramic trade from the Phung Nguyen culture, a Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age culture in northern Vietnam, to the present.
Alexandra Green, the curator for the Southeast Asia section at the museum, showed its rich collection of documents about Vietnam, which covers prints, books and paintings from the mid-20th century, ceramic artifacts, ancient coins, royal costumes, brocade textiles, and bamboo and rattan products, among many other items.
Addressing the event, Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long informed participants of more than 50 political, economic, cultural, educational and tourism activities to be held across the UK by the embassy for celebrating the 50th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic relations this year.
Visitors were also treated to Vietnamese contemporary art via a series of paintings exhibited at the gallery./.
A ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK on February 22 to announce the Vietnam-UK Friendship Year 2023: the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties.
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception in Hanoi on March 20 for British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew, during which he hailed the latter for actively promoting bilateral activities over the past years.
A seminar was held in Hanoi on March 21 to look back on achievements during the 50 years of the Vietnam - UK diplomatic relationship and the prospects of future bilateral ties.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long presents gifts to the three speakers at the event. (Photo: VNA) 
Sud Chonchirdsin, the curator for the Vietnamese collection at the British Library from 2005-2019, during his presentation at the event. (Photo: VNA) 
