Foreign Minister meets with visiting British Minister of State for Asia
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received Amanda Milling, Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East at the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in Hanoi on March 29.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) and British Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East Amanda Milling meet in Hanoi on March 29. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received AmandaMilling, Minister of State for Asia and the Middle Eastat the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in Hanoi onMarch 29.
Millingis on a working visit to Vietnam on the occasion of the 8th Vietnam -UK strategic dialogue at the deputy foreign minister level.
Minister Son expressed his delight at the strides in thetwo countries’ strategic partnership as seen in Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’ssuccessful trip to the UK and attendance in the COP26 there from October 31 toNovember 3, 2021.
As the two countries are about to mark the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023, Vietnam wishes to furtherintensify the strategic partnership with the UK, he said.
Son called for increasing high-level mutualvisits; enhancing the key cooperation mechanisms, including the strategicdialogue at the deputy foreign minister level, the joint economic and tradecooperation committee, and the defence policy dialogue; stepping up trade andinvestment promotion activities to capitalise on the UK - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement(UKVFTA); and expanding ties in education - training, science - technology, andhealth care.
Minister of State Milling affirmed her country viewsVietnam as an important partner in the region as it is looking to bolstercooperation with the Indo-Pacific, adding that the UK hopes to strengthen links inthe fields matching the two sides’ strength and demand.
Highly valuing Vietnam’s strong commitment at COP26 toachieve net zero emissions by 2050, she said the UK will assist Vietnam to realisethe commitments about emissions, climate change response, and sustainableenergy transition.
The two officials agreed tokeep their countries’ close coordination at multilateral forums, particularly theUnited Nations and regional cooperation mechanisms.
Milling spoke highly of Vietnam’s role and contributions as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during 2020 - 2021. She alsoappreciated the country’s support for the UK to become a full dialogue partnerof the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
On this occasion, Minister Son and the UK Minister of Statealso discussed some international and regional issues of commonconcern./.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Kingdom (UK) Nguyen Hoang Long had a meeting in London on March 16 with the Chair of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU), MP John Whittingdale, and its members who vowed to help promote the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The United Kingdom is the second largest economy in Europe, with a free trade policy and a large demand for agricultural imports so Vietnamese exporting firms, particularly coffee exporters, should make use of opportunities brought about by the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) as well as issue a strategy to approach potential partners to push up exports to this market, according to Vietnamese Trade Office in the UK.
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) is ready to cooperate with the British Chamber of Commerce (Britcham) in supporting enterprises, especially those engaged in renewable energy and sustainable development to limit waste and environmental pollution, VCCI Chairman Pham Tan Cong said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu and the UK's Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East Amanda Milling co-chaired the eighth Vietnam-UK strategic dialogue in Hanoi on March 28.
The Vietnam Days in the UK 2022 began on March 28 (local time), promising to treat attendees to a series of cultural, art, sport and trade-investment promotion events, mostly in London.
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.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) and British Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East Amanda Milling meet in Hanoi on March 29. (Photo: VNA) 
