During the meeting, Prime Minister Chinh suggested the UK promote the implementation of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, encourage its businesses to invest in Vietnam and facilitate Vietnamese goods’ access to its market.
The Vietnamese government leader called for strengthening cooperation between the two Ministries of Defense at both bilateral and multilateral fora.
He proposed that the Government of the UK create conditions for Vietnam to receive vaccines under the COVAX facility and quickly transfer vacine production technology to Vietnam.
Ben Wallace affirmed the UK always attaches importance to its strategic partnership with Vietnam. He spoke highly of the southeast Asian nation’s important contributions to the region and the world at large.
Wallace said the UK Ministry of Defense is ready to work closely with its Vietnamese counterpart in enhancing exchanges, strengthening mutual trust and working together on the basis of mutual benefit.
The same day, Vietnam’s Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang chaired a welcome ceremony for and held talks with UK Secretary of State for Defence Robert Ben Lobban Wallace.
The British side shared Vietnam’s views on solving the East Sea issue, affirming the importance of navigation and aviation freedom, supporting the rule of law, and emphasising that disputes need to be settled by peaceful means, based on international law.
They consented to continuing to promote defence ties with a focus on the exchange of delegations, the implementation of the existing cooperation mechanisms such as the Defence Policy Dialogue at the deputy ministerial level and the bilateral working group on defense cooperation, English language training for Vietnamese officers, the participation in UN peacekeeping missions, defence industry and cooperation on multilateral forums./.
