Party chief To Lam departs Hanoi for official visit to UK
VOV.VN - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation left Hanoi on October 28 for an official visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from October 28 to 30.
The visit is made at the invitation of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The visit takes place as the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries under the Strategic Partnership framework has flourished in recent years. In terms of political and diplomatic ties, the two sides have maintained regular exchanges of delegations at all levels, effectively implemented bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and supported each other at multilateral forums and international organizations.
Economically, bilateral trade has sustained an annual growth rate of 18-20% for many years, with Vietnam ranking among the UK’s leading trading partners in Southeast Asia. Cooperation in education and training, science and technology, defence and security, and people-to-people exchanges has also produced positive outcomes.
The Party General Secretary’s working visit is of great significance, providing an opportunity for both sides to exchange views and reach consensus on orientations to strengthen and elevate bilateral relations to a new height in the coming period; enhance political trust; and improve the effectiveness of cooperation in traditional areas such as trade and investment, education and training, and science and technology.
The two sides are also expected to expand cooperation in new fields where the UK has strengths and that align with Vietnam’s development needs, including finance, high technology, strategic infrastructure, green energy, and sustainable development.
Vietnam and the UK established diplomatic relations on September 11, 1973, with the UK being one of the first Western nations to do so with Vietnam. Over the past five decades, friendship and close ties between the two peoples have been continually strengthened and expanded.
The official visit by Party leader To Lam and his spouse coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam-UK Strategic Partnership (2010-2025), marking an important milestone for the two sides to review past cooperation achievements and outline new directions for the future development of bilateral relations.