Vietnam, UK discuss ways to fight COVID-19, promote bilateral ties
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung on April 16 held phone talks with Minister of State at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Nigel Adams to discuss cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and promote bilateral ties.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA)🎃 – Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung on April 16 held phone talks with Ministerof State at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Nigel Adams todiscuss cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and promote bilateral ties.
Dung informed the British official about measures undertaken by Vietnam and affirmed the Vietnamese Government’sdetermination to control the pandemic, thus ensuring the safety of Vietnamese citizens aswell as foreign nationals working and living in the country. Vietnam stands readyto share its information and experience with the UK in the fight against COVID-19, he said. Dung also expressed his wish that the UK would share its experience and research regarding COVID-19 treatment to help Vietnam improve its community healthcare capacity, thus joining hands to driveback the global pandemic. He proposed the UK offer medical support and favourable conditions to Vietnamese citizensliving and working in the UK during the period of pandemic. Adams, for his part, congratulatedVietnam on successfully holding the online Special ASEAN Summit and SpecialASEAN 3 Summit on COVID-19, which he said, reflected the country’sactive and proactive role in its capacity as ASEAN Chair 2020. Speaking highly ofVietnam’s achievements in the fight against COVID-19, he wished that bothcountries would share information and enhance cooperation in the field withinbilateral and multilateral frameworks, uphold their voices, especiallywhen Vietnam assumes important roles in ASEAN and the UN Security Council, in a bid to push forward international coordination in the tough fight. Adams expressed hisappreciation for the Vietnamese Government’s donation of 110,000anti-bacterial cloth masks to the UK, as well as arrangement of the flight carrying British citizens home safely. As the two nations willcelebrate the 10th anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership this year, thetwo officials pledged to further improve the efficiency of existing cooperationmechanisms and step up bilateral ties in the fields of politics, economy, security,national defence, education and culture. They also vowed to workclosely together at regional and global forums when Vietnam serves as ASEANChair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the2020-2021 tenure./.
Foreign Ministry’s deputy spokesperson Ngo Toan Thang said on November 7 that Vietnam and the UK have been working actively together to accelerate the identification of 39 victims found dead in a container truck in Essex, the southeast of the UK.
Vietnam and the UK are working to complete legal and technical procedures to repatriate the bodies of 39 Vietnamese who found dead in a lorry in Essex last month, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said on November 25 on the sidelines of the 14th National Assembly’s eighth sitting.
The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry, the UK Embassy in Vietnam and the British Business Group in Vietnam held “Meet the UK 2019” event in Hanoi on November 28.
The Governments of Vietnam and the United Kingdom will promote educational cooperation in higher education, English training, educational technology, international education.
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.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung (Photo: VNA) 
