National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (left) and Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle in London. Photo: VNA

During the talks with Lindsay Hoyle, the two leaders expressed delight at the growing ties between Vietnam and the UK that is at their height, according to Viet Nam News.

The Vietnamese top legislator stressed that Vietnam attaches great importance to relations with the UK, an industrial power.

The UK parliament leader congratulated Vietnam on overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic and socio-economic recovery, underlining that the UK also seeks to strengthen relations with the fast-growing, dynamic Vietnam that is at a strategic location in the Southeast Asia region.

Underlining the UK's role in hosting UNCOP 26 last year, Chairman Hue said Vietnam's commitments to net-zero by 2050 made at the conference is a strong demonstration of the country's political resolve to respond to climate change and its responsible contributions to global efforts.

Welcoming Vietnam's ambition, Hoyle said he would call on the UK and other European countries to provide support for Vietnam in energy transition and climate response.

The two leaders agreed that the two country's authorities and businesses should be more active in capitalising on the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), to promote post-pandemic recovery and to respond to challenges related to supply chains, food security, and energy security.

The two leaders noted that Vietnam and the UK have made several achievements in education cooperation, but there is still ample room for further growth and measures should be devised to advance cooperation on this important front.

Chairman Hue reaffirmed Vietnam’s willingness to act as a bridge connecting the UK with ASEAN and asked for the House of Commons' backing for Vietnam and ASEAN's stances on regional security issues.

The two sides also agreed to promote parliamentary ties, especially the contact between parliament's bodies and exchanges of lawmakers, stressing the role of parliaments in realising agreements signed between the two countries' Governments, the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals, and ratification of agreements and treaties on climate change and environment protection.

Later in the day, Hue met with the Speaker of the House of Lords John Mcfall, where the top Vietnamese legislator said Vietnam welcomes the G7's decision to include it among the first three countries to assist in realising UNCOP 26's commitments, hoping that the UK would share its experience in building the roadmap and policies in this matter.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (left) and Speaker of the House of Lords John Mcfall in London. Photo: VNA

He also thanked the UK for having donated 2.7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam through bilateral channels and COVAX Facility.

The UK House of Lords Speaker highly appreciated Vietnam's participation in international commitments to environmental protection and emissions reduction.

Amid rising geo-strategic competition and unpredictable world developments, it's important to bolster the two countries' ties, especially between legislators, Mcfall said.

Hue said he wants the two parliaments to closely cooperate, and make parliamentary ties an important pillar of the two countries' strategic partnership, contributing to further elevating the relations, building up political trust and enhancing people-to-people exchanges.

Stepping up educational cooperation

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son and British Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi agreed to enhance the countries’ educational cooperation during a meeting in London on June 29, VietnamPlus reported.

Son, who is accompanying NA Chairman Hue in the official visit to the UK, said bilateral cooperation in education has been growing in width, and that Vietnam wishes to further develop it in depth.

He expressed his hope that the UK Government and the British Council will further help Vietnam in English language training, enhance teachers’ capacity, and improve educational quality and the capacity of educational quality verification.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son (R) presents a gift to British Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi on June 29. Photo: VNA

Son also called on the UK Government to assist with the teaching and learning for ethnic minority children in mountainous areas which face shortages of teachers as well as teaching and learning tools, especially for online learning.

The official also suggested British universities invest more in Vietnam, particularly in the majors the UK is strong at such as finance, banking, and information technology, adding that he hopes they will open branches in Vietnam, carry out joint programmes, and exchange students.

For his part, Zahawi shared the view that the two sides can further promote educational cooperation, especially in digital transformation – which is important to both the UK and Vietnam as it will generate considerable benefits.

The UK is ready to boost collaboration with Vietnam to improve educational quality, teacher training, English language teaching, and educational quality verification capacity, he added.

Concluding the meeting, the two sides agreed to intensify bilateral educational cooperation in both depth and width, especially in the areas matching Vietnam’s demand and the UK’s strength.

The same day, a roundtable on economics and education cooperation between Vietnam and Scotland took place at London’s Scotland House on June 29 (local time)./.

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