The two sides discussed the implementation of the Vietnam-UK Action Plan2011, which was aimed at concretising the two countries’ strategicpartnership, focusing on measures to boost cooperation in the sevenprioritised areas.
The areas included politics-diplomacy,regional and global issues, trade-investment, socio-economic developmentcooperation, education-training, national defence-security, and thepeople’s exchange.
Ministerof State Browne praised Vietnam ’s socio-economic achievements madeover the past years, especially in poverty reduction and internationalintegration, pledging to continue providing Vietnam with developmentassistance in the coming time via the 2011-2016 Development PartnershipAgreement.
The two sides agreed to expand cooperation in trade,economy, and investment, and create favourable conditions for businessesto partner and trade in an effort to increase the two countries’two-way trade value to 4 billion USD and the UK ’s direct investment inVietnam to 3 billion USD by 2013.
The two sides also agreedto work closely in implementing major cooperation projects, includinglaunching the Vietnam-London direct air service and putting intooperation the Vietnam-UK University in the central city of Da Nanglater this year.
Vietnam and the UKreached consensus on the need to further promote cooperation in thefields of education and training and scientific research.
TheUK will facilitate Vietnamese students’ study in its educationalfacilities, assist programmes on training English teachers and improvingEnglish language skills in Vietnam , and encourage the establishmentof linkage and cooperation in training among the two countries’universities.
The UK praised the two countries’ effective cooperation in combating organised crimes and illegal migration.
Apartfrom bilateral issues, the two sides exchanged views on regional andinternational issues of mutual concern and agreed to continue strengthencooperation at multilateral forums and international organisations,especially at the UN, ASEM, ASEAN-EU and WTO.
The UK affirmed that it has backed Vietnam ’s efforts to boost its comprehensive cooperation with the EU.
The same day, Minister Browne paid a visit to Vietnamese Deputy Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem./.