Vietnam, UK should sign FTA asap: Government leader
Vietnam and the UK should sign a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) as soon as possible to further boost two-way trade, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said when hosting UK Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss in Hanoi on December 11.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and UK Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss at their meeting in Hanoi on December 11 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam and the UK should sign a bilateral freetrade agreement (FTA) as soon as possible to further boost two-way trade, PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said when hosting UK Secretary of State forInternational Trade Elizabeth Truss in Hanoi on December 11.
Appreciating the significance of Truss’s visit,the PM said it will be a good chance for both sides to seek new measures toenhance relations, as the potential for bilateral cooperation remains substantial.
Vietnam considers the UK an important andfriendly partner and supports it participating in the Comprehensive andProgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), he said.
He affirmed that the Vietnamese Governmentpledges to create the best conditions possible for UK enterprises tosuccessfully invest in the country.
The two countries hold potential in developinggreen energy, Phuc said, suggesting the UK assist Vietnam in this field.
Truss expressed her delight at signing anagreement on the completion of negotiations on the UK-Vietnam FTA, adding thatthis is a new start to beef up bilateral cooperation.
She affirmed her country’s determination to joinhands with Vietnam in promoting trade liberalisation and economic recovery inthe context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UK will host the 26th UN Climate ChangeConference (COP26) next year with the goal of bringing gas emissions down tozero by 2050. It hopes to join hands with other countries, including Vietnam,to contribute to this goal, she said.
The UK wants to cooperate with Vietnam inhealth, green technology, finance, digital economy and data, she added.
For COP26, PM Phuc committed that Vietnam willparticipate in the conference actively and responsively and contribute more toglobal climate change response efforts.
He also spoke highly of the UK’s stance ofensuring navigation and aviation security, safety and freedom in the EastSea./.
An online dialogue on policies and markets held on October 6 offered Vietnamese and UK enterprises an insight into the opportunities and challenges in trade and investment ties between the two nations following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
Trade and investment relations between the UK and Vietnam will differ post-Brexit. A number of dialogue forums on policies and markets have been organised by the two countries, helping their businesses gain a clearer and more thorough understanding of the opportunities and challenges to come.
Vietnam and the United Kingdom have enjoyed good growth in bilateral trade, increasing 3.5 times over the last decade. In 2017, bilateral trade hit 6.2 billion USD.
An agreement on concluding negotiations of the Vietnam-UK Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) will be signed on December 11, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
The fact that the Vietnamese PM has been invited to attend and speak at this important event for three consecutive years reflects the WEF as well as the international business community's recognition and high regard for Vietnam's position, role, and contributions to global and regional economic growth.
This new era marks a crucial phase in which the country must strive with determination to fulfil its strategic objectives, achieving breakthrough development at new levels of sophistication, quality, and global standing, laying the foundation for further growth. Era after era forms a continuous history of development, ascending steadily from one level to the next.
The resolution on such mechanisms aims to serve as a legal basis for opportunely dealing with difficulties and hindrances caused by legal regulations in important, priority, and urgent areas that require immediate settlement so as to unlock resources, facilitate economic development, and turn legislation into a competitive edge.
PM Pham Minh Chinh instructed chairpersons of the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to strictly follow the Ministry of Finance's guidelines on handling public finances and budgets, with a focus on preventing wastefulness, misconduct, or corruption.
Knapper reaffirmed the US's commitment to supporting a strong, independent, prosperous and resilient Vietnam, while respecting each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, independence and political systems.
Vietnam is deeply concerned about the escalating and complex conflict in the Middle East, which poses a serious threat to the lives and safety of civilians, as well as to regional and global peace and stability.
The Vietnamese Embassy advises the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in Israel to strictly comply with directions from the Home Front Command and local authorities.
Lawmakers are set to vote on revisions and amendments to a broad spectrum of legal frameworks and impactful resolutions during the final week of the 15th NA's 9th session.
The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOVA) has served as a bridge connecting and uniting the community with the homeland, becoming a trusted source of support for Vietnamese expats in times of hardship.
The programme to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses has achieved notable results, with nearly 263,000 housing units addressed to date, including 225,000 houses inaugurated and 38,000 under construction. Thirty-eight provinces and cities across the nation have already fulfilled their targets.
Stronger efforts and determination are required to achieve and surpass the set targets, especially in the eradication of makeshift and dilapidated houses nationwide, the acceleration of public investment disbursement, and the implementation of nationally important transport projects, PM Pham Minh Chinh noted.
The trip will be made at the invitations of Chinese Premier Li Qiang and WEF President and CEO Børge Brende, according to an announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Long spoke highly of the dynamic, positive, and comprehensive development of Vietnam – Russia relations in recent years. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State place great importance on further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia in a substantive and effective manner, in line with the development needs of both nations.
At the conference, participants reported that the Government has so far issued 28 decrees on the delegation of responsibilities and powers between the central Government and two-tier local administrations. Several localities have already piloted the new governance model.
Reality is the ultimate benchmark for success, he said, urging drafting agencies to work out policies that foster development, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and respect practical conditions.
Under the official dispatch signed on June 20, ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, and chairpersons of provincial and municipal People’s Committees are requested to concentrate efforts on implementing core measures to ensure the smooth operations of the new administrative framework.
The Party chief underscored the need for the press to innovate relentlessly, evolve to keep pace with the country's development, transform into a truly professional, humanistic, and modern sector that serves the cause of the Party, the State, and the people on the path to national construction and development.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and UK Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss at their meeting in Hanoi on December 11 (Photo: VNA)
