President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK Dominic Raab in Hanoi on June 22, 2021. (Photo: VNA)

President Phuc made the remark at a reception for First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK Dominic Raab in Hanoi on Tuesday, who is on an official visit to Vietnam and attending the high-level policy dialogue of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). 

He said Vietnam and the UK should give priority to the effective implementation of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) towards creating breakthroughs in trade and investment cooperation, stressing that Vietnam will create all possible conditions for UK businesses to invest in banking, insurance, financial services, digital services and renewable energy.

Secretary of State Raab underlined that the UK attaches importance to developing relations with Vietnam as the UK is adjusting its policy towards the Indo-Pacific region post Brexit. He said that the national financial fund provided 4 billion USD to support British businesses to increase investment in Vietnam.

President Phuc suggested the UK create more favorable conditions for Vietnam to access vaccine supply and production technology while Rabb said that the UK is ready to contribute vaccine to global efforts to control the pandemic, including providing vaccine to friendly countries and strategic partners like Vietnam.

The two sides agreed to work closely at important multilateral forums such as the UN Security Council, ASEM and the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

The UK official affirmed the importance of ensuring maritime and navigation freedom, security and peace in the East Sea, and emphasized compliance to international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).