PM asks UK to continue vaccine aid to Viet Nam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and British Ambassador to Viet Nam Gareth Ward , Ha Noi, September 30, 2021. Photo: VGP

The Government chief made the suggestion at his reception for British Ambassador to Viet Nam Gareth Ward in Ha Noi on September 30.

Pham extended sincere thanks to the UK for having gifted Viet Nam with 415,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine and asked the UK to consider transfer of vaccine production technology to the Southeast Asian country.

Expressing his pleasure at the robust growth of the Viet Nam-UK strategic partnership, Pham asked the two countries to strengthen the exchange of high-level delegations, improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and step up the realization of cooperation orientations in economy, trade, investment, development cooperation, education and training, defense and security and people-to-people exchanges.

As the UK is one of Viet Nam’s leading economic partners in Europe, the PM called for closer cooperation to fully tap the opportunities brought about by the Viet nam-UK free trade agreement (UKVFTA).

He suggested that the UK further open its market for Vietnamese exports and encourage British enterprises to expand investment in such potential fields like tourism, finance-banking, petroleum, renewable energy, digital economic among others.

Regarding the 26^th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) hosted by the UK in November, PM Pham affirmed that Viet Nam supports and will collaborate closely with the UK to contribute to the success of the event.

For his part, Ambassador Gareth spoke highly of Viet Nam’s COVID-19 response efforts, affirming that the UK considers Viet Nam an important partner in the region.

He appreciated Viet Nam’s support for the UK to become a full dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

On the East Sea issue, the British diplomat underlined the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and aviation, security and peace in the East Sea, as well as the settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea./.

By Huong Giang