Making efforts to lift Vietnam-UK ties to a new height with a focus on investment and trade, education cooperation and development cooperation are major priorities of Ambassador of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , Dr. Antony Stokes during his term in Vietnam.
The newly accredited ambassador shared this view at a briefing with Vietnamese press in Hanoi on Dec. 9.
He said that, based on the achievements the two countries had made as well as their efforts, Vietnam and the UK were hopeful of increasing bilateral trade to 3 billion USD from 2 billion USD at present.
He said he believed that feasible projects, including the opening of direct air routes between Hanoi, HCM City and London in 2011, together with strengthening investment in the form of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) will help to ensure bright prospects for investment and trade cooperation.
Upholding its traditional strength, UK will strive to become partner No. 1 of Vietnam in education and training, the ambassador affirmed.
A feasibility study on the opening of an international standard university in the central Da Nang city with UK funding was completed, he said, ensuring a pathway for young Vietnamese people who wished to study in the UK.
Though Vietnam has become a middle-income country, the UK will continue to provide development cooperation assistance to the Southeast Asian nation in the implementation of Millennium Development Goals, economic development, state management apparatus reform and response to climate change.
Dr. Stokes said he believed that with the Declaration on Strategic Partnership signed in 2010 as a firm foundation, the quality of Vietnam-UK bilateral ties would soon be enhanced.
The ambassador presented his credentials to State President Nguyen Minh Triet on Dec. 6./.
