On the morning of April 05th 2023, delegation of the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland led by H.E. Iain Frew, Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, paid a courtesy call to leaders of Hai Phong City. Chairing the meeting, the Secretary of the City Party Committee warmly welcomed the Ambassador and members of the delegation who spent time visiting and working in Hai Phong, and pleased to share Hai Phong’s common points on port development, industry, interest in education, and local residents’ passion for football. Hai Phong wishes to promote effective cooperation of mutual interest between Hai Phong City and British partners.
Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shared the highlights that the Embassy is interested in and wishes to strengthen strongly in the fields of education, trade, sustainable development, and people-to-people exchanges in the coming time with Vietnamese partners including Hai Phong City. Celebrating 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, various events and activities will be organized in both Viet Nam and the UK. Enhancing strong cooperation in fields of business, education, energy, and together handling challenges such as illegal human trafficking issue is one of priorities of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Agreeing with the Secretary’s comments on similarities in maritime development history, the Ambassador believed that cooperation opportunities between British and Hai Phong’s partners would be exploited and developed in specific sectors of mutual interest and competence.
The Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland informed the Secretary of Hai Phong City Party Committee the specific sectors of cooperation that British side is interested in. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs
Responding to the Ambassador’s remarks, the Secretary added that there are currently 09 projects invested by British enterprises in Hai Phong; despite the scale is small, the efficiency of the projects has contributed to socio-economic development of Hai Phong City. For education cooperation, cooperative activities between British partners and Viet Nam Maritime University have gained specific achievements, opening up opportunities for students and lecturers to participate in skills and English linguistic training courses. Besides, cooperation in implementing foreign non-governmental projects supporting vulnerable children and elderly people in the city has brought significance and effectiveness. In the coming time, the city wishes to raise the level of cooperation with partners of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in sectors such as modern industrial development, port infrastructure, renewable energy including offshore wind power, smart city management and sport exchanges (particularly football).
The delegation of the Embassy took a group photo with the leaders of Hai Phong City. Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador Iain Frew expressed three critical points including education, renewable energy development, and commercial exchanges that the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland focuses on promotion in the year of 2023, besides commemoration activities in the framework of 50 years anniversary of diplomatic relationship establishment of the two countries. The Joint Energy Transition Program (JETP) and Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) facilitate small and medium sized enterprises working towards climate change mitigation demonstrate commitment of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in cooperation with Vietnamese partners in the renewable energy development and solving general challenges. Also, the Ambassador wished the city would continue to support British enterprises and investors doing business in the city. The Embassy expressed its commitments to closely collaborate with the city in implementation of specific activities in the coming time./.