London (VNA)꧅ – Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member, President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, is paying a working visit to the United Kingdom from September 16–20.

The visit aims to further advance the Vietnam – UK Strategic Partnership in a more substantive, practical, and effective manner, particularly in policy research and consultation, legal and institutional reforms, leadership and governance training, public administration and civil service reforms, digital transformation, green transition, energy transition, green growth, and sustainable development. During his trip, Thang met with UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Seema Malhotra, Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle; Civil Service Commissioner Baroness Gisela Stuart, as well as senior British leaders, and financial, economic, and diplomatic experts. At his working session with Malhotra, Thang briefed the host on Vietnam’s situation and outlined the country’s strategic orientations in growth model reform, science and technology development, digital transformation, streamlining of administrative and local administration structures, and plans to establish an international financial centre. He stressed that these are areas in which the UK has strengths and experience that Vietnam is eager to learn from. Malhotra affirmed the enduring friendship between the two countries and said the UK is ready to support Vietnam in implementing its strategic decisions. Both sides pledged to enhance cooperation for peace, friendship, and shared prosperity, while contributing to addressing global challenges. In his meeting with Hoyle, the British official congratulated Vietnam on its achievements over the past 80 years, praising the determination of the Vietnamese people in their struggle for national independence and development. He highlighted Vietnam’s growing role and importance in the Asia-Pacific and in multilateral mechanisms, noting the country’s active contributions to peace, cooperation, and adherence to international law. Hoyle also expected that the bilateral relationship would be upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the near future. Meeting with Stuart, the two sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation and sharing experience in civil servant evaluation, as well as models of local administration management in the context of digital transformation and the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Thang also met with Mark Kent, Chair of the UK–Vietnam Network and former British Ambassador to Vietnam, and members of the network to discuss cooperation on Vietnam’s international financial centre project, green transition, energy transformation, and people-to-people exchanges.

At the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the Vietnamese official engaged with leading British experts in economics, finance, and technology to exchange knowledge and experiences aligned with the Party's resolutions on science, technology, innovation, and institutional reform. The experts shared international perspectives on rapid and breakthrough growth models, green transition and digital transformation, sustainable development, and the UK’s successful practices in building and operating international financial centres. He also met with members of the Vietnamese Intellectual Society (VIS) in the UK and Ireland, updating overseas Vietnamese scientists on the Party and State’s policies to attract the contributions of overseas intellectuals to national development. While in the UK, Thang attended and delivered remarks as an honourary guest at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day in the UK, which brought together around 250 British officials, foreign diplomats, and business representatives. He also laid a wreath at the grave of German philosopher Karl Marx in London and met with staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK./.