Celebrating Vietnam’s freedom

 Nguyen Hoang Long (second from right) and British guests

by New Worker correspondent

Vietnamese ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long welcomed politicians, diplomats, journalists and members of the Vietnamese community in London at a celebration of Vietnam’s National Day at Claridge’s Hotel on Monday.
    NCP leader Andy Brooks and Rob Griffiths from the CPB joined the packed assembly in the ballroom of the Mayfair hotel for the first major diplomatic reception in the capital since the end of the lockdown. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Minister of State for Asia Amanda Milling and the Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace were also amongst the 500 or so guests at the commemoration of the Vietnamese declaration of independence from France on 2nd September 1945.
    On that day Vietnamese communist leader Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Hanoi, and the beginning of the struggle for freedom that finally ended with the defeat of US imperialism in 1975 and the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
    In his welcoming address, Nguyen Hoang Long underlined that the event also aimed to celebrate the friendship between Vietnam and its partners and all countries in the world.
    Highlighting the achievements that Vietnam has made after 35 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), the Vietnamese envoy noted that from a war-torn country, Vietnam has become the fourth leading economy in ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the 37th in the world, as well as one of the most open economies with the signing of 14 new free trade agreements and new generation deals.
    As a responsible member of the United Nations, Vietnam has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council twice, and performed excellently the role of ASEAN Chair twice, including in 2020 amidst the challenging situation due to COVID‑19, he said.
    The Vietnamese ambassador also spotlighted the growth of the Vietnam–UK strategic partnership over the years, including many high-level visits to each other. He underlined that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s participation in the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow this November and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son’s attendance at the G7-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will contribute to strongly boosting the bilateral partnership in the future.
    At the ceremony, the Vietnamese Embassy honoured several individuals and organisations in the UK for supporting Vietnam in COVID‑19 prevention and control activities. They have raised about $575,400 in cash and medical supplies for Vietnam.
    The embassy also auctioned three paintings by Vietnamese young painters for £6,700 for the COVID‑19 fight at home.
    Participants also had a chance to hear Vietnamese singer Nguyen Hong Nhung, see a photo collection featuring the tangible and intangible heritage of Vietnam, and enjoy Vietnamese cuisine.

Forty-five years of progress

by New Worker

Pham Binh Minh welcomes the guests

 correspondent

NCP leader Andy Brooks joined diplomats, businessmen and solidarity workers at a celebration to mark the 45^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Britain and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The lobby in the upper hall of the Central Hall, Westminster was packed on Tuesday for a welcoming reception for Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Bình Minh on the first day of an official visit to Britain. This was followed by a performance by artistes from the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet of songs and dances that reflected the diverse ethnic backgrounds of the Vietnamese people.

British–Vietnamese friendship has been reflected, over the years, through the regular exchange of high-ranking delegations, sound bilateral trade and robust cooperation between enterprises from both sides.

Earlier in the day the Vietnamese minister had a meeting with Liam Fox, the Secretary of State for International Trade, during which the two sides acknowledged the good growth of trade-investment ties between the two countries in recent years.

Deputy Premier Minh said he believed Brexit would not create negative impacts on the trade-investment ties between Vietnam and the UK. He asked the UK to continue backing Vietnam in enhancing ties with the European Union (EU) and advocating the early signing of the EU–Vietnam free trade agreement.

The Vietnamese minister thanked the British government for providing development aid for Vietnam for more than 20 years, assisting with Vietnam’s socio-economic development and international integration. He asked the British government to continue helping Vietnam access capital from its Prosperity Fund to improve the business environment and cope with climate change.

Liam Fox appreciated Vietnam’s role in the Asia-Pacific, and expressed the wish to maintain and expand economic-trade relations with Vietnam. He affirmed that in its Global Britain strategy announced in 2017, the British government gives priority to enhancing economic cooperation with important partners, including Vietnam.

More than 10,000 Vietnamese students are currently studying in Britain. Two-way trade reached US$6 billion in 2017, up 11 per cent from 2016, whilst total British investment in Vietnam climbed to $3.71 billion, putting the UK in 15th position amongst the 129 countries and territories investing in the country. In the first 4 months of this year, two-way trade hit more than $2 billion.