Vietnam is keen to step up trade, investment, tourism, education, training, and security and defence ties with the UK .

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated this when he received the UK ’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs William Hague, in Hanoi on April 25.

The Party leader told his guest that Vietnam has attaches a lot of importance to strengthening its relations with political parties in the UK as well as between Vietnam and State’s agencies and the UK ’s Government bodies and policy research institutes.

Hague congratulated Vietnam on its numerous important achievements during its renewal process, national construction and development as well as its rising prestige in the region and in the global community.

He underlined the UK Government’s determination to increase its cooperation with Vietnam as stated in the joint declaration confirming their strategic partnership./-VNA