On October 30, General Secretary To Lam successfully concluded his official visit to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
In an interview with the press, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said that the visit is one of Vietnam's important foreign affairs activities this year, helping to affirm the stature of Vietnam - UK relations in the overall foreign policy of each country, especially in the current context of a volatile and challenging world.
The visit was a great success with many important activities and achieved many effective and substantial results.
First of all, the highlight of the visit is that Vietnam and the UK have agreed to upgrade their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the highest level of relationship in the system of partnership frameworks of Vietnam.
In the Joint Statement on Establishing a New Rising of Relations as well as in the exchange, General Secretary To Lam and British leaders agreed on strategic measures, identifying 6 pillars of cooperation commensurate with the new Rising of bilateral relations, which are:
Strengthen political, diplomatic, defense and security cooperation; Strengthen economic, trade, investment and financial cooperation; Strengthen cooperation in science - technology, innovation, digital transformation, health; Cooperation in environment, energy and green transformation; Strengthen cooperation in education, culture, sports, tourism, people-to-people exchange, equal rights; Cooperation in international and regional issues.
Secondly, within the framework of the visit, agencies, organizations and enterprises of both sides agreed and signed many important cooperation agreements with many substantive and specific contents in many new areas of significance to the development of the two countries.
Third, in the discussion, British leaders and partners expressed their impression of Vietnam's great achievements in all aspects, expressing their appreciation for Vietnam's position and role in the Asia-Pacific region as well as many issues of concern to the international community.
Fourthly, the visit also contributes to enhancing Vietnam's position in Europe and at multilateral forums and mechanisms in Europe, while actively contributing to promoting the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as ASEAN-China relations.
Fifth, the visit contributes to promoting the bond between the Vietnamese people and the British people, as well as the spirit of solidarity and attachment of the Vietnamese people in the UK.
With these important results, the visit is very meaningful not only in promoting Vietnam's relations with a major country in Europe and the world, but also creating new conditions and momentum for taking advantage of more favorable conditions for the new development stage of the country.
With the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the UK, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, the world's 6th largest economy and one of the world's major centers in economy, finance, trade, science and technology, education - training, Vietnam has continued to actively and proactively implement the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, for peace, development cooperation, multilateralization and diversification of relations.
In the context of the complicated international situation, Vietnam's Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with all 5 permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, bringing the total number of Comprehensive Strategic Partners to 14 countries, contributing to strengthening the country's favorable foreign situation and enhancing the Party's position.
Vietnam - UK relations open a new chapter with higher political trust, creating a platform for long-term strategic cooperation in all fields.
