The excellent relationship between Vietnam and the UK has not only brought benefits to the two governments but also to the people of both countries, and is an important lesson that should be honored as the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. This is the view shared by MP Wayne David, Chairman of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Vietnam, in a recent interview with a VNA reporter in the UK.
MP Wayne David, Chairman of the APPG. Photo: Supplied by the character
Assessing the achievements of bilateral relations over the past 50 years, MP Wayne David said that September 11, 1973 was a historic day when the UK and Vietnam began formal diplomatic relations. According to him, the bilateral relationship has developed gradually over time and reached an important milestone in 2010 when the two countries established a strategic partnership, leading to brilliant successes in many areas of cooperation, from trade, investment to education and training and many other areas. The APPG Chairman pointed out that the progress in UK-Vietnam relations, along with the development of mutually beneficial cooperation, bringing benefits to the people of both countries, is really important. He pointed out that the rapid growth of two-way trade is one of the tangible achievements in bilateral relations. However, according to MP Wayne David, the success of this relationship is also evident in other aspects, such as the increasing number of British tourists coming to Vietnam, which not only promotes the economy but more importantly helps develop deeper cultural relations between the two nations, affirming the importance of developing cultural exchanges. The APPG Chairman said that he had twice led a British parliamentary delegation to Vietnam and was particularly impressed not only by the vibrant economic activities but also by the beauty of the country and the friendliness of the Vietnamese people. He said that the relationship between the people of the two countries plays a fundamental role in ensuring that the cooperative relationship is consolidated and develops well in the future. Assessing the relationship between the two National Assemblies, the APPG Chairman affirmed the importance of this relationship, pointing out the positive developments in recent years. As Chairman of the APPG, MP Wayne David represented the British Parliament to reach an agreement with the Vietnamese National Assembly on a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two legislative bodies. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have not been able to sign this document. MP Wayne David expressed his hope that the UK and Vietnam can soon sign this agreement, creating a framework for continuous exchange and dialogue between the two parliaments. The APPG Chairman said that people-to-people and cultural exchanges, especially music, are areas that are no less important than diplomatic and economic relations, helping the two sides to understand, learn from each other and cooperate effectively, bringing specific benefits to the people of the two countries. This is one of the areas where elected representatives of the two countries can promote cooperation to continue to elevate bilateral relations. According to MP Wayne David, the September 7 concert at the Royal College of Music in London, performed by Vietnamese, British and international artists to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and raise funds to support three British charities operating in Vietnam, is an event that reflects the close relationship between the people of the two countries, not just in trade, economic and educational cooperation between the two governments. Referring to the prospects for future cooperation, the APPG Chairman emphasized that the two sides need to determine that the bilateral relationship cannot be a relationship directed from the central level, saying that the people of the two countries need to cooperate and determine a relationship that benefits both sides instead of the two governments making decisions. He pointed out the potential for cooperation between the UK and Vietnam in the fields of climate change, education, culture, music and local cooperation. The APPG Chairman said that climate change is posing a major challenge globally, citing extreme weather events such as heat waves, forest fires, and recent outbreaks of storms and floods in Southern Europe. He said that with its technological level and experience in dealing with environmental issues and climate change as well as renewable energy, the UK can provide practical support to the people of Vietnam - a country affected by climate change, causing floods and other problems, especially in the Mekong Delta. MP Wayne David also pointed out the importance of educational cooperation in the context of the global environment requiring young people to understand different countries, cultures and languages and to be trained to become global citizens, saying that the two sides need to further promote cooperation in this area, which has received attention from the Vietnamese government and parents. According to him, with 13,000 Vietnamese students studying in the UK, the two sides need to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese students to study in the UK. Local cooperation was also identified by MP Wayne David as an important and potential field, emphasizing the need to strengthen relations between regions of the UK and Vietnam in general and provinces and cities in particular. He said that the two sides currently have local cooperation projects, such as Sheffield city's cultural cooperation with Hanoi city or universities in Wales, his hometown, cooperating with Vietnamese educational institutions, and need to continue to strengthen cooperation in this field. Referring to the role of the APPG in promoting bilateral cooperation, Chairman Wayne David said that APPG members include MPs from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords and come from all political parties in the UK. Despite differences, all agree on promoting the importance of the Vietnam - UK relationship. He pointed out that this is a great advantage in the APPG's activities to promote bilateral relations, because even when the UK has a new government when the general election takes place next year, the connection and relationship with Vietnam will continue to be maintained firmly beyond political divisions.
Baotintuc.vn
Comment (0)