On the sidelines of the Vietnam-UK Strategic Dialogue, Deputy FM Son worked with John Vincent Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, and Skills; Alan Duncan, Secretary of State for International Development; the UK-Vietnam Parliamentarian Group, Prince Andrew’s office; the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI); and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Both sides agreed that John Vincent Cable’s upcoming visit to Vietnam, scheduled for November 2011, and Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung’s visit to the UK, slated for December 2011, will boost the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership in all fields, especially in economics, trade, and investment.

The UK committed to providing Vietnam with official development assistance in the 2012-2016 period, with a focus on helping the country deal with the effects of climate change and rising sea levels.

Prince Andrew’s office and the UK-Vietnam Parliamentarian Group said they will cooperate more closely with Vietnam.

On the occasion, the RUSI and the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies signed a memorandum of understanding on promoting cooperation.

Representatives from the Ministries of National Defence and Public Security also worked with their UK counterparts to discuss ways to enhance ties in national defence, and combating organised crimes.