Vietnam and the UK established diplomatic ties on September 11, 1973. In September 2010, they signed a Joint Declaration establishing a Strategic Partnership. On September 30, 2020, both sides issued a new joint statement outlining seven priority areas of cooperation and expressing a mutual commitment to elevating the relationship to a higher level over the next decade.

During a meeting with British Ambassador Iain Frew on October 17, General Secretary To Lam affirmed that bilateral relations have developed in a substantive and effective manner across all fields, matching the level of a strategic partnership.

There remains significant potential for development in bilateral ties, especially in areas such as defense and security, finance and banking, education and training, science and technology, labor, energy transition, climate change response, and notably, culture, sports, and people-to-people exchanges, which have paved the way for broader cooperation.

General Secretary To Lam emphasized that Vietnam places great importance on enhancing its strategic partnership with the UK and is committed to advancing it to a new phase of development.

The UK is a key European trade partner for Vietnam and ranks 15th among 152 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Conversely, Vietnam is the UK's second-largest trading partner in ASEAN.

In 2024, bilateral trade reached USD 8.424 billion, up 18% from 2023. Vietnam’s exports to the UK totaled USD 7.543 billion, an 18.9% increase, while imports stood at USD 881.05 million, up 10.8%.

For the first eight months of 2025, bilateral trade hit USD 6.1 billion, a 9.3% increase year-on-year. Vietnam’s exports reached USD 5.4 billion (up 8.2%), and imports amounted to USD 630.9 million (up 19.8%). This represents the highest trade value ever between the two nations.

The UK has been one of Vietnam's top development donors, contributing GBP 50 million (approximately USD 61 million) annually from 2006 to 2010. The UK promotes cooperation with Vietnam through various regional funds, including the Prosperity Fund and the Newton Fund.

In education and training, the UK has actively fostered cooperation, with the British Council operating in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. The UK also supports the participation of top British universities in joint training programs and the development of higher education institutions in Vietnam.

The UK is one of Vietnam’s most active and consistent partners in environmental collaboration, climate change mitigation, and implementation of outcomes from the COP26 summit.

In March 2022, during a meeting in Germany, G7 ministers approved the UK’s proposal to support a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) between the G7 and Vietnam.

Semiconductor cooperation between the two nations holds great promise, with considerable room for growth and mutual benefit.

The Vietnamese community in the UK comprises approximately 110,000 people, including around 12,000 students and researchers.

Tran Thuong