Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has suggested Vietnam and the UK actively implement strategic partnership action programmes and increase the exchange of delegations at all levels while promoting trade, investment, tourism, education and training.

The Prime Minister made this suggestion while receiving UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs William Hague in Hanoi on April 25.

PM Dung expressed his delight at the two countries’ strategic partnership in various fields, especially in trade and investment.

The UK is Vietnam ’s leading partner in the European Union, with two-way trade exceeding 3 billion USD in 2011 and UK investment in Vietnam reaching around 2.5 billion USD.

Vietnam is ready to cooperate with the UK in security and defence, the Vietnamese PM said.

He also affirmed that Vietnam will effectively use development aid, especially in hunger eradication and poverty reduction.

The PM said he wants the UK government to provide more scholarships to Vietnamese students to study in the UK and open more international-standard schools in Vietnam .

He asked the UK Secretary to work with Vietnamese ministries and agencies to promote the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership and increase bilateral cooperation.

William Hague said joint cooperation in education, development aid for hunger eradication and poverty reduction, along with coping with climate change and anti-corruption have been promoted since the two countries elevated relations to strategic partnership level.

He said his visit aims to beef up cooperation in trade, investment, education and crime fighting.

The UK government encourages and facilitates its businesses to invest in Vietnam , Hague said.-VNA