On March 20, in Hanoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception for British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew. (Photo: WVR/Nguyen Hong)

Foreign Minister Son said the signing and enforcement of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement has made the UK the third largest trade partner in Europe and the ninth largest export market of Vietnam and the most important European investor in the country despite impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

He asked Ambassador Frew to continue facilitating the exchange of all-level delegations, effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms and work closely with Vietnamese partners to hold activities celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-UK diplomatic ties this year.

The host suggested both sides maintain effective cooperation in traditional areas such as trade - investment, education - training, national defence - security while expanding collaboration in new fields where the UK has strength and Vietnam has development priorities such as green growth and climate change adaptation.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew at the meeting. (Photo: WVR/Nguyen Hong)

Foreign Minister Son spoke highly of the UK's role in promoting the building of a Just Energy Transition Partnership framework between Vietnam and international partners. He proposed the UK continue assisting Vietnam in terms of experience, technology transfer, green finance and human resource development in this field.

Ambassador Frew, for his part, affirmed that with its policy towards the Indo-Pacific region, the UK attaches great importance to developing its relations with Vietnam on the basis of political trust, close cooperation at multilateral and regional forums, solid economic relations and rich potential for cooperation in the future, especially in new fields and development trends of the world, including sustainable energy transition and climate change response.

To improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation, the Ambassador vowed to work closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other ministries and agencies to build practical cooperation plans in the coming time.