Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng emphasized Việt Nam’s strong commitment to fostering relations with the United Kingdom during a meeting with the UK’s Ambassador to Việt Nam, Iain Frew, in Hà Nội on Wednesday. He expressed gratitude towards British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for his congratulatory message following his election and acknowledged the significant role played by Ambassador Frew and the British Embassy in enhancing the bilateral relationship, notably marked by the elevation of Việt Nam–UK ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s visit to the UK in October 2025.
Highlighting areas ripe for collaboration, PM Hưng pointed out opportunities in trade, investment, finance, science and technology, education, renewable energy, and defense. He proposed enhancing delegation exchanges and formulating an action plan to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Prime Minister also outlined an ambitious goal of increasing bilateral trade turnover to $10 billion by 2026 and eventually $15 billion by expanding market access for each other’s goods. He reassured that Việt Nam welcomes and facilitates sustainable and effective investments from British enterprises.
The Vietnamese leader also spotlighted the importance of bilateral cooperation in establishing the Việt Nam International Financial Centre (VIFC). He proposed that the UK extend support in enhancing institutional frameworks, developing financial tools, and mobilizing resources for strategic infrastructure and symbolic projects linked to the bilateral partnership. Furthermore, PM Hưng expressed appreciation and urged the UK government to continue facilitating the integration of the Vietnamese community in the UK for mutual socio-economic benefits.
Ambassador Frew lauded Việt Nam’s recent socio-economic progress and expressed his commitment to fostering more profound and substantive bilateral relations. He praised Việt Nam’s leadership role as the Chair of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2026, pledging the UK’s willingness to bolster bilateral and global trade ties. Frew also highlighted British investors’ positive outlook on Việt Nam’s growth, especially in energy and finance, and expressed the UK’s interest in long-term collaboration with Việt Nam on the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).
In alignment with PM Hưng’s suggestions, Frew confirmed ongoing cooperation in defense, security, science, and technology, along with efforts to build expert and investment networks, support high-tech human resource training, and promote education. He emphasized the UK’s role in helping make English a secondary language in Vietnamese schools, advancing green finance, and developing the VIFC. Both parties agreed to reinforce coordination at multilateral forums and promote ASEAN–UK relations, maintaining dialogue and cooperation to ensure navigation freedom and security, contributing to regional and global peace and development.