In a meeting held in Hà Nội on Wednesday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng welcomed the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Việt Nam, Iain Frew, emphasizing the significance of Việt Nam’s relationship with the UK. During the reception, PM Hưng expressed his gratitude for a congratulatory message from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which followed Hưng’s recent election. The meeting underscored the continuous efforts by both parties to enhance bilateral relations, particularly highlighted by the elevation of Việt Nam-UK ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s official visit to the UK in October 2025.
PM Hưng highlighted the vast potential for collaboration between the two nations in several sectors, including trade, investment, finance, science and technology, and renewable energy. He proposed increasing delegation exchanges and high-level visits to strengthen these ties further. A key goal set by Hưng is to boost bilateral trade turnover to $10 billion by 2026, with a longer-term aim of reaching $15 billion, facilitated by improved market access for both countries’ goods. The Prime Minister also assured that Việt Nam remains open to foreign investments, providing a supportive environment for British businesses to operate effectively.
The development of the Việt Nam International Financial Centre (VIFC) was another focal point of the talks, with Hưng urging the UK to assist Việt Nam in enhancing its institutional frameworks and mobilizing resources for significant infrastructure projects. The Vietnamese leader also expressed gratitude to the UK for supporting the Vietnamese community in Britain and encouraged continued efforts to integrate this community into the UK’s socio-economic fabric.
Responding to these initiatives, Ambassador Frew congratulated Việt Nam on its recent socio-economic progress and expressed a strong commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across various fields. He praised Việt Nam’s leadership role as Chair of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2026 and confirmed the UK’s readiness to work closely with Việt Nam to boost both bilateral and international trade. Frew noted the favorable outlook British investors have on Việt Nam’s growth, particularly in energy and green transitions, and emphasized the UK’s desire to be a lasting partner in the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).
Both leaders agreed on the importance of ongoing collaboration in defense, security, and innovation, with a focus on connecting expert networks and supporting high-tech human resources training. They also discussed advancing educational cooperation, including promoting English as a second language in Vietnamese schools. On regional and international issues, the two sides committed to strengthening multilateral coordination, fostering ASEAN-UK relations, and ensuring maritime freedom and security, thereby contributing to regional and global peace and stability.