Press release

Foreign Secretary visits Vietnam to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation on trade and global challenges

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been in Hanoi today to forge closer bilateral ties between the UK and Vietnam.

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

In his second visit within 9 months, the Foreign Secretary has met counterpart Vietnamese Foreign Minister, Minister Bui Thanh Son, to discuss the implementation of the UK-Vietnam Strategic Partnership Agreement, in addition to subjects such as the global health security, climate change and Myanmar.

The visit will build momentum for the UK바카라 사이트™s bid to join the regional trade block - the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The UK government is today setting out its approach to membership, alongside the release of the UK바카라 사이트˜s strategic case for seeking CPTPP accession to include scoping and economic assessments.

During the visit, the UK also looked to progress its ambition for 바카라 사이트˜ASEAN Dialogue Partnership바카라 사이트™ status, which would allow the UK to further strengthen relations with ASEAN countries, based on shared interests and mutual benefits.

Speaking in Vietnam, Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, said:

The UK greatly values our friendship with Vietnam. Since my last visit, we have made progress on trade and economic ties.

We welcome Vietnam바카라 사이트™s support for UK바카라 사이트™s accession to the CPTPP trading block, and I am very grateful for its ASEAN chairmanship last year 바카라 사이트“ laying the foundations towards the UK becoming an ASEAN dialogue partner.

The Foreign Secretary has met President Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the Presidential Palace where climate change and Vietnam바카라 사이트™s ambition for energy transition were key topics discussed.

Dominic Raab바카라 사이트™s meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh covered developments within the Strategic Partnership Agreement, COP26, Covid-19 recovery and maritime security. The Strategic Partnership framework sets out cooperation between the two countries for the next ten years.

The Foreign Secretary has also met the Minister of Public Security, To Lam, with topics of discussion including cooperation to tackle illegal migration, human trafficking and transnational crime.

While in Hanoi, the Foreign Secretary delivered opening remarks at the 5th ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) on the UK바카라 사이트™s ambitions for its 바카라 사이트™Indo-Pacific tilt바카라 사이트˜ to an audience of more than fifty countries. In attendance were several regional foreign ministers, including Vietnam바카라 사이트™s Foreign Minister Son, Singaporean바카라 사이트™s Foreign Minister Balakrishnan, Cambodian Foreign Minister Sokhonn, Laos바카라 사이트˜ Foreign Minister Kommasith, Korea바카라 사이트˜s Foreign Minister Chung, as well as the European Union바카라 사이트™s High Representative Borrell, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Portugal바카라 사이트™s Vice Foreign Minister, Zacarias.

Today, the Foreign Secretary also announced UK funding to support a network of women peacebuilders and mediators across the region through the ASEAN Women바카라 사이트™s Peace Registry. The financial contribution will also help ASEAN develop its Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and support ASEAN member states, including Vietnam, to develop and implement their own National Action Plans.

The visit comes ahead of the UK바카라 사이트™s Carrier Strike Group led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth, which will make its maiden visit to the region, arriving in Singapore later this year.

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Updates to this page

Published 22 June 2021