UK and Vietnam form comprehensive strategic partnership to boost trade, innovation, and sustainability

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1. https://vir.com.vn/vietnam-and-uk-elevate-ties-to-comprehensive-strategic-partnership-139766.html - Please view link - unable to able to access data
2. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-declaration-on-the-elevation-of-uk-viet-nam-relations-to-comprehensive-strategic-partnership - On October 29, 2025, the United Kingdom and Vietnam elevated their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). This decision was made during the official visit of General Secretary To Lam to the UK from October 28-30, at the invitation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The CSP strengthens six key pillars of cooperation: politics, diplomacy, defence, and security; economics, trade, investment, and finance; science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and health; environment, energy, and green transition; education, culture, sports, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, equal rights and other fields; and coordination on regional and international issues. The partnership aims to further enhance economic cooperation, a key pillar of the bilateral relationship. Both sides are committed to championing free, fair, inclusive, and sustainable trade and supporting a transparent and rules-based international trading system. The two countries will cooperate to promote and strengthen trade and investment based on non-discrimination and mutual benefit. Under the CSP, the United Kingdom and Vietnam will strive to enable a fair, transparent, and open business environment in both countries, removing market access barriers and facilitating smooth two-way trade so businesses can export and invest with confidence. Governments will maintain open and constructive dialogue through the Vietnam-UK Joint Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee as the mechanism to address barriers faced by businesses from both countries in expanding trade and investment activities. The two countries will actively strengthen cooperation among trade and investment promotion agencies. An annual business dialogue mechanism between British business leaders and senior Vietnamese government figures will be established to enhance trade and investment cooperation. According to the joint declaration, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination to effectively implement and review the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). This includes facilitating market access by removing trade barriers for goods and services, protecting intellectual property rights, reducing additional costs, encouraging e-commerce, enabling businesses to build robust supply chains utilising the best of their respective economies in accordance with laws of both countries, and encouraging digital trade in response to new technologies and an increasingly interconnected world. As members of the CPTPP, the UK and Vietnam will also work together to progress the General Review and acknowledge the importance of the agreement’s continued expansion. The leaders also underlined the importance of maintaining food supply chains to ensure regional and global food security; agreed to strengthen cooperation in agricultural trade in a transparent, clear, and effective manner; and promote market access. They agreed to approach any future negotiations on agricultural reform within the World Trade Organisation framework in a cooperative and constructive manner. In addition, the UK will push cooperation with Vietnam in the development of international financial centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, including through the UK-Vietnam International Financial Centre partnership. This will draw on the experience of the UK as a global financial services and green capital markets hub and deepen economic cooperation between the two countries in the financial and professional services sectors. Through knowledge exchange, both sides will share policies, legal approaches, and financial system management experience, and utilise the development of capital markets, fintech, green finance, and insurance. The UK and Vietnam agreed to strengthen cooperation by mobilising green finance to promote low-emission, resilient green growth, working together to share expertise and deploy green financial instruments in Vietnam, including through the launch of the UK-Vietnam Green Finance Partnership. The two sides committed to removing institutional barriers, so the private sector can play a central role in boosting green growth and sustainable trade. The CSP will enhance cooperation in trade finance through the design and implementation of transparent, effective, and sustainable trade finance mechanisms. The UK and Vietnam will continue to exchange views and share experiences on trade finance registries and the utilisation of the UK Export Finance (UKEP) credit programme, which has a total offer of up to £5 billion ($5.8 billion) for potential investments in Vietnam. Both sides welcomed the signing of an MoU between UKEF and Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance. Another pillar of the CSP is enhancing cooperation in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, recognising these as key drivers for sustainable and inclusive development. The UK and Vietnam share a common vision on the role of science and technology in shaping the future and a commitment to adopting new technologies in alignment with universal values of peace, freedom, and responsibility. Both sides agreed to effectively implement the MoU on science, technology, and innovation (2025) to strengthen cooperation in healthcare, green growth, and transformative technologies; drive knowledge and experience sharing; train skilled workforces; and foster research and commercialisation of technology through joint projects between research institutes, universities, government agencies, and businesses of both countries. The leaders also acknowledged the importance and lasting impacts of digital transformation and agreed to strengthen cooperation in policymaking and joint initiatives in this space. They are committed to promoting access to quality healthcare services and building efficient, sustainable, and resilient health systems. This is coupled with encouraging expert exchanges and policy dialogues, joint projects on global health security and antimicrobial resistance, and capacity building for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and population ageing, following the One Health approach. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in digital health, expand cooperation to animal welfare, and broaden trade and investment in healthcare and life sciences, focusing on pharmaceuticals, clinical services, medical technology, and consumer healthcare.
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-vietnam-fta-joint-forum-on-trade-and-sustainable-development-report-1-august-2023 - The first Joint Forum on Trade and Sustainable Development under the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) took place virtually on 1 August 2023. The forum aimed to discuss and promote sustainable development within the framework of the UKVFTA. The meeting was co-chaired by representatives from both the UK and Vietnam, focusing on enhancing bilateral trade relations while ensuring adherence to sustainable development principles. The forum addressed various topics, including environmental protection, social standards, and economic growth, emphasizing the importance of integrating sustainable practices into trade agreements. The discussions highlighted the commitment of both nations to uphold high standards of environmental and social governance in their trade relations. The outcomes of the forum are expected to guide future trade policies and initiatives, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the expense of environmental sustainability or social well-being.
4. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-vietnam-strategic-partnership-forging-ahead-for-another-10-years/joint-declaration-uk-vietnam-strategic-partnership-refreshed - The UK and Vietnam have renewed their strategic partnership for another decade, focusing on sustainable growth and development cooperation. The joint declaration outlines commitments in various areas, including sustainable urbanisation, water resources management, environmental protection, ocean governance, hydro-meteorology services, healthcare, and innovation. Both countries pledge to combat climate change through concrete actions aligned with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. The partnership also emphasizes good governance, rule of law, accountability, and transparency. In education, the UK commits to supporting Vietnam's education reform strategies, promoting vocational training, and increasing the number and quality of joint education programmes. The UK also aims to support efforts to enhance English language proficiency and expand collaboration on research and innovation, particularly in clinical trials, vaccine development, and healthcare sustainability.
5. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-vietnam-fta-trade-committee-meeting-summary-24-august-2023/24-august-2023-uk-vietnam-fta-trade-committee-meeting-summary - The second UK-Vietnam Trade Committee meeting under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was held in Hanoi on 24 August 2023. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Minister Phan Thi Thang of Vietnam and Minister for International Trade Nigel Huddleston of the UK. Both sides discussed the positive developments in bilateral trade and economic relations since the first Trade Committee meeting in April 2022. The UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) was also recognized as an important factor in improving trade and investment relations between the two countries. The meeting underscored the commitment to a deeper trade partnership and explored further opportunities for collaboration in various sectors.
6. https://vntrade.org.uk/uk-vietnam-trade-first-half-2025/ - In the first half of 2025, bilateral trade between the United Kingdom and Vietnam surpassed $4.3 billion, marking a 9.6% year-on-year increase. This growth is attributed to the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2024. The UKVFTA has reduced tariffs on up to 99% of UK goods exported to Vietnam, benefiting sectors such as pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and agricultural products. The UK's membership in the CPTPP has further streamlined access to the broader Asia-Pacific market, offering preferential terms and enhanced trade relations. The 14th Vietnam-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting held on 14 July 2025 in London reaffirmed commitments to expand cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, banking, green finance, digital services, renewable energy, and trade promotion.
7. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-vietnam-fta-joint-forum-on-trade-and-sustainable-development-report-1-august-2023 - The first Joint Forum on Trade and Sustainable Development under the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) took place virtually on 1 August 2023. The forum aimed to discuss and promote sustainable development within the framework of the UKVFTA. The meeting was co-chaired by representatives from both the UK and Vietnam, focusing on enhancing bilateral trade relations while ensuring adherence to sustainable development principles. The forum addressed various topics, including environmental protection, social standards, and economic growth, emphasizing the importance of integrating sustainable practices into trade agreements. The discussions highlighted the commitment of both nations to uphold high standards of environmental and social governance in their trade relations. The outcomes of the forum are expected to guide future trade policies and initiatives, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the expense of environmental sustainability or social well-being.