Deputy Foreign Minister Tô Anh Dũng. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Foreign Minister Tô Anh Dũng held online talks with Nigel Adams, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development of the UK, on Thursday.

The two officials expressed joy at the strong development of Việt Nam-UK strategic partnership since its establishment 10 years ago.

Deputy FM Dũng praised the UK Government’s efforts to counter the COVID-19 pandemic and initiatives to promote international co-operation in medicine, and affirmed that Việt Nam is ready to work closely with the UK in those efforts.

He welcomed the UK’s decision to put Việt Nam in the list of countries exempt from UK travel quarantine, and proposed that the two countries continue assisting each other in citizen protection.

The Deputy FM affirmed that Việt Nam facilitates the entry of foreign diplomats, investors, experts, managers and skilled labourers, including those from the UK, to work in Việt Nam.

Nigel Adams appreciated Việt Nam’s medical capacity in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and thanked Vietnamese agencies, doctors and nurses for their care for UK citizens infected with the coronavirus.

The official noted his hope to further deepen bilateral relations in fields of shared interests such as trade, investment, politics, national defence, security, health, education, science-technology, renewable energy and response to climate change, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Việt Nam-UK strategic partnership.

The wish was shared by Deputy FM Dũng, who suggested the two sides maintain current co-operative mechanisms and actively hold talks toward the early signing of a bilateral free trade agreement.

Adams said the UK values Việt Nam’s role in Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, especially in the context of the country concurrently serving as Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC).
He affirmed that the UK is willing to cooperate and coordinate closely with Việt Nam in multilateral frameworks, adding that the UK supports the maintenance of peace and stability, and advocates the adherence to international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in the South China Sea (known in Việt Nam as the East Sea).
He also asked Việt Nam to support the UK in further promoting its relations with ASEAN following Brexit.
Deputy FM Dũng appreciated the Việt Nam-UK coordination in issues related to peace, security and development, and urged the UK to continue sharing experience with Việt Nam at the UNSC.
The Vietnamese official reiterated that Việt Nam welcomes active and constructive efforts of countries to contribute to maintaining peace and stability, and upholding international law, including the UNCLOS, in the East Sea.
As Chair of ASEAN, Việt Nam supports outside partners, including the UK, in boosting co-operation with ASEAN for common interests, thus contributing to promoting the trend of trade liberalisation, multilateral co-operation and compliance to international law in the region and the world, Dũng said. — VNS