Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Đỗ Minh Hùng addresses a ceremony hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in London on Wednesday to mark Việt Nam's 81st National Day. — VNA/VNS Photo Hữu Tiến

LONDON — Việt Nam is an important partner of the United Kingdom, with practical results of bilateral cooperation realised in various fields, said Mark Gooding, director for Asia-Pacific at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London on Wednesday.

Gooding was speaking at a ceremony hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK to mark Việt Nam’s 81st National Day.

The ceremony took place as Việt Nam-UK bilateral ties entered a new phase, following the elevation of the two countries' relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2025.

The British official highlighted the growing two-way trade between the two countries, and the UK's support of the development of an international financial centre in HCM City and Đà Nẵng.

The two countries are also working together under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), which is worth more than US$15 billion to help Việt Nam achieve its net-zero goal.

Gooding also highlighted people-to-people exchanges, noting that about 12,000 Vietnamese students are studying in the UK and the number of British visitors to Việt Nam increased by 20 per cent in 2024-25.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Đỗ Minh Hùng said people are the foundation of the bilateral ties, stressing the role of Vietnamese students, intellectuals and the Vietnamese community in promoting mutual understanding and connecting the two countries.

He also highlighted parliamentary cooperation, including the establishment of the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vietnam.

The event, attended by more than 200 guests, featured a concert by Vietnamese pianist Bích Trà and Polish musician Tomasz Lis, celebrating friendship between the two countries through music and culture. — VNA/VNS