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UK upgrades relations with Vietnam to strategic level
The United Kingdom is upgrading its relationship with Vietnam to a strategic partnership, the highest level of its bilateral diplomatic ties.
A declaration, which “shows the depth of our co-operation”, will be signed during Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem’s visit to the UK next week, announced British ambassador Mark Kent on August 30.
“We see Vietnam as a priority,” he told a press conference in Hanoi.
The strategic partnership will cover political co-operation, global and regional issues, trade and investment, sustainable socio-economic development, education and training, science and technology, security and defence, and the linking of the two nations’ peoples, said the ambassador.
“The significant document shows the seriousness of both sides in their engagement,” he said.
The diplomat emphasised that the bilateral relationship is not a traditional one but a “modern relationship built up through globalization”.
The bilateral ties have kept growing rapidly over the past several years, he said.
It started off with a partnership progress document, which was agreed between the two Governments in March 2008 when Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited the UK.
Since then, more detailed documents working on shared visions and a multiplication of contacts have been seen not only at a high-level but also at working levels.
Bilateral discussions on strategic partnership planning, migration, foreign policies and development have been recorded and the Vietnam-UK Trade and Investment Joint Committee and Education Joint Committee have been established.
“This has all grown rather than gathering organically, but it is a good moment now to put it all in a most strategic framework,” said the ambassador.
He said his Government believes it is important for them to build a strong partnership with Vietnam, a country “emerging strongly after the recent time of economic difficulty globally” and becoming “active internationally”.
The UK believes that relations with Asia in general and Vietnam in particular are becoming increasingly important as the role of Asia grows, said the diplomat.
VOV, VNS
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