Party General Secretary Tô Lâm met with representatives of the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vietnam (Vietnam APPG) in London on October 29 (local time). VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

LONDON – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee Tô Lâm has expressed his appreciation for the active and consistent contributions of the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vietnam (Vietnam APPG) to advancing Việt Nam–UK relations across various fields.

Speaking during a meeting with members of the group in London on October 29 as part of his official visit to the UK, General Secretary Lâm highlighted Vietnam APPG’s activities to boost the Việt Nam-UK cooperation in culture, education and training, and people-to-people exchanges. He stressed that Việt Nam and the UK have always attached great importance to promoting comprehensive cooperation through party, government, parliament, and people-to-people channels.

He noted that the positive progress in bilateral ties could not have been achieved without the support of British friends, especially the Vietnam APPG. Their initiatives and engagement, he said, have helped generate strong momentum for promoting exchanges and cooperation in politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, and other areas.

Members of the Vietnam APPG shared their warm affection for Việt Nam, saying they had visited the country at different times and were deeply impressed by its rapid and dynamic development in recent years. They voiced strong support for strengthening Việt Nam–UK relations, stressing that General Secretary Lâm’s visit carries great significance in elevating bilateral cooperation to a new, deeper, and more comprehensive stage.

The MPs thanked Việt Nam for supporting the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

They also expressed their impression of General Secretary Lâm’s address at the University of Oxford, which outlined a clear vision for the future development of Việt Nam–UK relations.

Answering to the group’s questions on Việt Nam’s priorities in bilateral cooperation, General Secretary Lâm highlighted four key areas, including promoting trade and investment ties; strengthening cooperation in science - technology, education - training; and developing international financial centres, thus contributing to the growth and prosperity of both countries.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese Party leader proposed that the Vietnam APPG continue to maintain delegation exchanges and promote activities in culture, education, science, and business connectivity between the two countries. He encouraged the group to foster thematic discussions and legislative cooperation between specialised committees of the two parliaments, particularly in developing the international financial market in Việt Nam. VNA/VNS