UK Embassy launches Vietnam- Scotland connecting event

The event was held within the framework of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Year 2023 to mark the 50th anniversary of joint diplomatic ties with the aim of stepping up links between Vietnam and Scotland, especially in fields such as trade, investment, renewable energy, education, and tourism.

It is also designed to promote Vietnamese culinary culture, which was voted by the Canadian travel magazine the Travel as one of the 10 best cuisines in the world, and of Scotland, the world's largest whiskey producer.

Participants at the function were updated on developments in Vietnam-UK relations, especially in terms of economic and trade ties, as well as the potential that exists for further opportunities for investment and business in the Vietnamese market.

Guests also had the opportunity to enjoy traditional Vietnamese food and drinks and unique Scottish whiskeys, wines, and cocktails on offer.

In his speech, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long stated that positive relations between the country and the UK were formed many centuries before both sides officially established diplomatic ties.

According to the Vietnamese diplomat, joint relations are currently in their most prosperous period ever, with two-way trade reaching more than US$6.8 billion in 2022, including over US$6 billion from Vietnamese exports, up 5.2% on-year.

Furthermore, UK whisky exports to the Vietnamese market were up more than 123% compared to 2021, while pharmaceutical exports grew by nearly 44% in the first nine months of 2022.

The nation is currently the UK's second largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, while the UK represents the country’s 12th largest export market.

The UK is among the 15 largest foreign investors in Vietnam, with 500 projects with a total registered capital reaching approximately US$4.2 billion.

Ambassador Long said that with the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) coming into effect in 2021, as well as the two countries completing bilateral negotiations for the UK to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), this year will open up great opportunities to promote mutual trade and business links.

The diplomat also pointed to the potential that exists for co-operation between Vietnam and the UK, including Scotland, especially in the fields of tourism, education, digital transformation, and renewable energy development.

Mark Boyce, head of Economic Diplomacy and Engagement at the Scottish Government, affirmed that Scotland places importance on its relations with Vietnam.

He agreed that there remains ample room for bilateral collaboration in trade, tourism, wind energy, and higher education, particularly in climate and environmental studies which can be considered as Scotland's strengths.

Mark Kent, chief executive of the Scotch Whiskey Association and former British Ambassador to Vietnam, said that the Vietnam-UK relationship has witnessed developments since his ambassadorship when the two nations celebrate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

This development, particularly in trade relations, is reflected in the growth of whiskey exports to the Vietnamese market, now Scotland's 24th largest market.

Scotland's whiskey exports account for 54% of the total value of UK food and beverage exports to the country. From 2019, Scottish whiskey exports to the nation increased by 370% in value and 100% in quantity, duly reaching US$3.9 million in 2022.

Kent said that both sides have many things in common, such as natural scenery and a beautiful coastline, unique culture, especially the culinary background with rich dishes and drinks.

The Vietnam-Scotland connecting event, featuring delicious Vietnamese and Scottish dishes and drinks, therefore represents the perfect way to celebrate and promote the sound relations that exists between Vietnam and the UK, he added.