Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)
London (VNA) – The Vietnam - UK Network held anevening banquet at the UK House of Lords on June 13 after an over-two-yearhiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taking place in every spring and summer, the network’sevening banquet is an event reviewing its activities and serving as a platformfor the organisations and individuals interested in Vietnam to connect with oneanother and seek cooperation chances in order to step up the two countries’relations in all aspects.
In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen HoangLong highly valued the network’s efforts to boost cooperation and friendshipbetween the countries’ organisations and individuals. He also affirmed hisembassy’s support for the network’s activities to further develop bilateralties.
He said that Vietnam and the UK hold numerous partnershipopportunities in trade, investment, and tourism as both are now in the periodof post-pandemic recovery with border reopening policies and plans to aid theirbusinesses and people.
Long stressed that the visit to the UK and attendance in the26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) by Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh in November 2021 and the coming trip by National Assembly ChairmanVuong Dinh Hue later this month have been opening new cooperation opportunities,particularly in green technology and finance.
Sharing his good impression of the Vietnamese people andculture, parliamentarian Dholakia, deputy head of the All-Party ParliamentaryGroup on Vietnam, called on British enterprises and people to come to the SoutheastAsian nation to enjoy interesting experiences and seek cooperation and businesschances.
Set up in January 2013 during an UK visit by Party GeneralSecretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the network gathers independent organisations thatlink organisations and individuals interested in Vietnam so as to boostbilateral connections in all areas. Ambassador Long is currently the honorarypresident of the network./.
After being heavily impacted by COVID-19 for two years, trade between Vietnam and the United Kingdom (UK) has recovered, reaching nearly 6.6 billion USD at the end of 2021, up 17 percent from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) of the UK Victoria Prentis on May 25 highlighted the importance of the Vietnam-UK agriculture and rural development cooperation, especially now that the UK government considers Vietnam as a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
Vietnam wants to see more investment from the United Kingdom (UK) in hi-tech agriculture, from cultivation to processing, preservation and distribution of farm produce and foods, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien.
Vietnamese Professor Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh has been honoured with the Interdisciplinary Prize of the United Kingdom’s Royal Society of Chemistry for her outstanding achievements in research and innovation.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) 
