Vietnam, UK Issue Joint Declaration on Elevation of Bilateral Ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
	Promoting Vietnam-UK Cooperation in Developing Modern Financial Services

The Congress was attended by President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son; Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Ngoc Hung; representatives of the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Vietnam; and numerous partner agencies and organizations from both countries.

The Congress reviewed the results of activities during the 2019-2025 term, adopted orientations for the new term, consolidated the organizational structure, and set out goals to strengthen friendship and people-to-people cooperation between Vietnam and the United Kingdom in the new period. The Congress elected 45 members to the 5th Executive Committee and three members to the 5th Inspection Committee.

Nguyen Ngoc Canh, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam and Chairman of the Vietnam–UK Friendship Association for the 5th term, delivers his inaugural remarks. (Photo: Dinh Hoa).

At the Congress, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Ngoc Canh was elected President of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association for the 5th term (2025-2030) with strong consensus from the delegates. Four Vice President of the Association, as proposed in the personnel plan, were approved by the Congress: Pham Thi Hoang Anh was elected Secretary General of the Association; Tran Ba Viet Dung was elected Head of the Inspection Committee for the 5th term; and the Standing Committee comprises 15 members.

Addressing the Congress, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam and newly elected Chairman of the Vietnam–UK Friendship Association Nguyen Ngoc Canh said that in a short period of time, Vietnam-UK relations have witnessed breakthrough developments.

In this context, the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association should not merely serve as a bridge for people-to-people exchanges, but must become a proactive force that creates linkages and accompanies the development of bilateral relations. The Association needs to expand its role from cultural exchanges to promoting cooperation in education, science, technology, and innovation; from traditional friendship activities to supporting connections among businesses, academia, and communities; and from being a symbol of people’s diplomacy to delivering tangible contributions to the sustainable development and shared prosperity of Vietnam and the UK.

“We have a special advantage in possessing a broad network of scholars, students, businesses, and partners in the UK and at home, along with the growing interest of British friends in Vietnam. This is a vital resource enabling the Association to help expand mutual understanding, strengthen trust, promote cooperation across all fields, and spread the positive image of both nations,” emphasized the President of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association for the 5th term.

He added that in the time ahead, the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association will strive to promote people-to-people exchanges in a more sustainable and modern manner; expand academic, artistic, sports, youth, and student exchange programs; and strengthen connections between the Vietnamese community in the UK and their homeland, thereby further enriching the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

The Association will focus on promoting cooperation in education, science, and innovation by connecting universities, research institutes, and technology centers of the two countries; encouraging joint research programs, knowledge transfer, and collaboration in key fields such as artificial intelligence, financial technology, clean energy, biotechnology, and the digital economy.

At the same time, the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association will continue to accompany the business communities of both countries by facilitating meetings, experience sharing, and trade and investment promotion; and contributing to the shared efforts of the two countries toward sustainable development by advancing cooperation on climate action, renewable energy, the circular economy, and green finance, in line with international commitments and the spirit of sustainable development shared by the leaders of both nations.

“I commit to always listening, engaging in dialogue, and accompanying our partners; to acting proactively, decisively, and effectively; and to always placing the interests of the peoples of both countries at the center of all the Association’s activities- true to the spirit affirmed by General Secretary To Lam: cooperation must be for the people, by the people, and benefit all segments of society,” affirmed Nguyen Ngoc Canh, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam and newly elected President of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association.

James Shipton, Director of the British Council in Vietnam, on behalf of the British Embassy, read a congratulatory letter from the British Ambassador. The Ambassador wrote: “The Vietnam-UK Friendship Association is a vital pillar in the modern relationship between our two countries. I highly commend the significant efforts the Association has made to strengthen partnerships and connections between the United Kingdom and Vietnam across political, business, and social spheres. Over 15 years of our strategic partnership, we have achieved important progress, from education to healthcare, from technology to trade, further reinforcing the close bonds between our peoples.”

“This year marks a special moment for the United Kingdom and Vietnam, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed General Secretary To Lam on an official visit to the United Kingdom. During this successful visit, the two sides agreed to upgrade our relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting mutual trust and shared aspirations for the future. I highly appreciate the proactive and positive role played by the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association in supporting the success of this visit, and I believe we share a clear goal of turning these aspirations into further achievements.”

“In the new phase, Vietnam and the UK will build new pillars for shared prosperity, from energy transition to the International Financial Centre. Together, we will strive to enhance cooperation for peace and security in an increasingly volatile world, while promoting sustainability across all activities. I look forward to working with the Association in all these areas.”

“Under the new leadership for the 2025-2030 term, I am confident that we will continue to build on these successes with a dynamic and dedicated VUFA leadership team. I look forward to discussing this with you over a luncheon at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Hanoi in the near future.”

President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son. (Photo: Dinh Hoa).

In his congratulatory remarks to the Congress, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son expressed his confidence in the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association in the new 2025-2030 term. He believed that in the coming term, the Association would continue to promote economic, trade, and investment cooperation, as well as advance local-level cooperation between the two countries.

The Congress also heard the announcement of commendation decisions by the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations for collectives and individuals of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association in recognition of their contributions during the previous term. The Congress unanimously adopted the Resolution of the 5th National Congress, clearly defining objectives and key tasks for the 2025-2030 period.

At the second working session, the 5th-term Executive Committee was formally introduced to the Congress. Representatives of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and the British Embassy presented flowers in congratulation. (Photo: Dinh Hoa).

The Congress took place in the context of Vietnam-UK relations having just been upgraded to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” following the high-level visit of General Secretary To Lam to London in October 2025. According to the joint statement, the two sides committed to strengthening cooperation across six main pillars: political and diplomatic relations; security and defense; economic and trade cooperation; science and education; environment and climate change response; and closer coordination at regional and international forums.

The 5th National Congress of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association set the objective of enhancing people-to-people diplomacy activities; connecting civil society organizations, businesses, and the Vietnamese community in the UK; and contributing to the concrete implementation of strategic orientations in bilateral relations for the 2025-2030 period.

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