Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung (Photo: VNA) They expressed their delight at the comprehensive development of the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership. In 2021,despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, both sides have maintained high-levelexchanges, with a highlight being Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s working trip to attend the26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and visitthe UK from October 31-November 3.
They discussed measures to realise contents agreed by thetwo countries’ senior leaders to deepen the bilateral strategic partnership.
In the context that the two nations will celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2023, the officials stressed theimportance of arranging high-level delegation exchanges and intensifying theefficiency of key cooperative mechanisms, including the early organization ofthe Strategic Dialogue at deputy foreign ministerial level.
Milling appreciated Vietnam’s strong commitments at COP26,adding that the UK is willing to support Vietnam in reducing emissions andshifting to clean energies.
Dung, in turn, affirmed that the Vietnamese Government isdetermined to implement declared commitments and speed up the implementation ofmeasures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by national resources andassistance of the international community.
The two officials reached a consensus on fosteringcooperation in trade and investment on the basis of the UK-Vietnam Free TradeAgreement, including attracting investments in such fields as digital economy,green transformation, renewable energy, green finance, and infrastructuredevelopment.
On this occasion, Milling shared that the UK Governmentwill present an additional 320,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Vietnam. Dungthanked the UK Government for this decision and proposed the UK continue helping Vietnam gain access to vaccines and treatment drugs.
Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination at multilateral forums,particularly at the United Nations. They also exchanged views on severalregional and international issues of mutual concern, stressing the importance ofrespecting and maintaining peace, stability and security, and ensuringnavigation and aviation freedom in the East Sea in accordance withinternational law, and considering the 1982 United Nations Convention on theLaw of the Sea (UNCLOS) as a legal framework for all activities at seas andoceans./.
VNA
