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Strategic partnership with UK takes relationship to top level
Viet Nam and the United Kingdom have elevated their bilateral relationship to the highest level by signing a joint declaration to establish a strategic partnership.
The signing ceremony was held on Wednesday in London on the first day of an official visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem to the UK at the invitation of Foreign Secretary William Hague.
This strategic partnership, which was established in recognition of the rapid intensification of the bond between the two countries since March 2008 when Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited Britain, will provide a framework for comprehensive development of the bilateral relationship, particularly for strengthening and deepening co-operation across key areas.
Areas of co-operation will include political and diplomatic ties, global and regional issues, trade and investment, sustainable socio-economic development, education and training, security and defence, and links between peoples.
The joint declaration says the two sides will promote regular meetings and dialogue between leaders of both countries, enhance parliamentary co-operation and establish a plan for biennial strategic dialogue to review bilateral ties.
The two sides welcome an intensification of links between the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) and British political parties, as well as between CPV agencies and UK government agencies, and academic and strategic policy institutions.
The declaration states that Viet Nam and the UK commit to closer co-ordination in multilateral forums, including the United Nations, ASEM, ASEAN-EU and the WTO.
Both sides recognise that commitment to free trade and open markets is playing an increasingly important role in ensuring continued global development and further intensification of the UK-Viet Nam relationship for mutual benefit.
The UK continues to support Viet Nam in enhancing economic and trade ties with the EU. It also commits to supporting the EU's early recognition of Viet Nam's market economy status subject to it meeting the established EU criteria. Both sides will work to explore ways and means toward a possible negotiation of a WTO-compatible Free Trade Agreement between Viet Nam and the EU.
Both sides will continue to encourage investment and trade. The UK will look to consolidate its position as Viet Nam's number one overseas investor in financial services, and increase UK trade and investment in other key sectors.
Both sides will make efforts to increase two-way trade volume to US$4 billion and the UK's foreign direct investment (FDI) in Viet Nam to $3 billion by 2013.
The UK welcomes and highly appreciates Viet Nam's achievements in poverty reduction and fulfilment of MDGs, an area where Viet Nam is leading by example. The UK will support Viet Nam in tackling its remaining poverty challenges and achieving the MGDs, focusing particularly on primary education, HIV/AIDS, sanitation and climate change.
Both sides appreciate the existing educational links between Viet Nam and commit to reinforcing them, according to the declaration.
The UK commits to supporting the Government of Viet Nam's education reform strategies and efforts to increase English language proficiency through the support of English teacher development and Viet Nam's 2020 English language strategy.
For security and defence, both sides commit to increasing exchange delegations at Ministerial and Senior official levels in order to further enhance bilateral co-operation on various issues of common interest.
Both sides will look to enhance co-operation in serious and organised crimes, and have decided to help create conditions to promote greater understanding between the people of the two nations. They will encourage networks to consolidate links and collaboration in the fields of art and culture, sport, media, scientific research and tourism.
The UK and Viet Nam value the contributions of the Vietnamese community in the UK for the social and economic development of the two countries.
Achievements
Earlier, in talks between Khiem and Hague, the Vietnamese official informed the latter of some of the achievements Viet Nam has made during 25 years of renewal. Khiem also briefed Hague on recent socio-economic development, such as Viet Nam posting positive economic growth while maintaining a stable macro economy and ensuring social security during the world financial crisis.
Hague said he appreciated the achievements Viet Nam has made as a result of its renewal policy.
Khiem invited Hague to pay an official visit Viet Nam, which he accepted.
Khiem will conclude his 5-day visit to the UK on Sunday when he will head to Germany.
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