Joint declaration on the elevation of UK - Viet Nam relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-29)

Joint declaration on the elevation of UK - Viet Nam relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

1.Over more than five decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973 and fifteen years since the adoption of the Strategic Partnership framework in 2010, Viet Nam and the United Kingdom have built a strong and enduring partnership, underpinned by mutual respect and a shared vision of a safe, prosperous and sustainable future.

2.On the occasion of the official visit by His Excellency To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, to the United Kingdom on 28-30 October 2025, at the invitation of The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the two leaders agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, strengthening six key pillars of cooperation.

I. Strengthening Cooperation in Politics, Diplomacy, Defence and Security

3.The two sides committed to reinforcing political trust by maintaining exchanges of delegations and high-level contacts across all channels between relevant agencies of the United Kingdom and the Communist Party of Viet Nam, Vietnamese government, National Assembly and localities of Viet Nam; enhancing the effectiveness of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, such as the Deputy Foreign Minister-level Strategic Dialogue and the Maritime Dialogue; and expanding or establishing new mechanisms to further deepen sectoral cooperation.

4.Both sides agreed to promote exchanges of delegations and cooperation between agencies and specialised committees of the two Parliaments, friendship parliamentary groups, women parliamentarians, and young parliamentarians; to strengthen the sharing of legislative oversight and parliamentary experience; to encourage monitoring and coordinated implementation of bilateral agreements and arrangements signed between the two countries; and to enhance consultation, exchange of views and coordination at multilateral parliamentary fora in which both sides participate.

5.In line with the ambition of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the UK and Viet Nam agreed to enhance the diplomatic personnel at their respective missions to promote and expand areas of cooperation, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Both sides committed to responding in a timely manner to requests for diplomatic approval for new and existing positions, according to the legal regulations of both countries. Both sides agreed to work towards the regeneration of the British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, in accordance with Vietnamese law.

6.Both sides reaffirmed the importance of the multilateral system with the United Nations at its core and agreed to work together in multilateral fora and international organisations, including inter-parliamentary fora. 7. Both sides committed to act as a bridge between the UK, ASEAN and its member states; promote linkages between the UK and the Mekong subregion; support building a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN Community that plays a central role in regional architecture. Both sides agreed to effectively implement the ASEAN–UK Joint Declaration on Connectivity; welcomed strong delivery of the 2022–2026 ASEAN-UK Plan of Action; and agreed to commence early formulation of the 2026–2030 ASEAN-UK Plan of Action.

7.Viet Nam appreciated the role the UK has played in the region and its contribution towards ASEAN and regional cooperation and supported the UK’s deeper participation in regional, subregional and ASEAN-led mechanisms.

8.Both countries welcome cooperation under the existing Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding on areas of mutual interest, including: delegation exchanges, defence industry partnerships and industrial cooperation, peacekeeping, maritime domain awareness, geospatial mapping, and hydrography.

9.Both countries commit to working on maritime security and sharing best practice on maritime domain awareness initiatives and maritime security strategies. Both sides would continue to facilitate port calls by naval vessels of the two countries in accordance with each country’s laws, to promote maritime security and safety cooperation and professional exchanges between their navies and coast guards.

10.Both sides agreed to expand maritime security cooperation, enhance capacity for maritime surveillance and security protection through human resource training, technology transfer, and promoting multilateral cooperation on maritime security between Viet Nam’s National Boundary Commission under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies of the UK government.

11.Both sides will deepen cooperation between the Ministry of Public Security of Viet Nam and HM Revenue and Customs and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, strengthening cooperation, information exchange and capacity-building to combat serious organised crime, including immigration crime.

12.Both sides agreed to explore further discussions on criminal records sharing and extradition; and agreed to exchange information and share experience regarding international standards on cybersecurity, information security and non-traditional security threats.

13.Both sides would make efforts to complete their respective domestic procedures regarding the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime and to promote cooperation in combating cybercrime, recognising that the Convention’s early entry into force would contribute to fostering regional and international cooperation in this field.

14.Both sides agreed to an Enhanced Migration Partnership which will reduce illegal migration and accelerate the return of illegal migrants. New measures include: the use of biometric data sharing in the identification process, accelerating the issuance of documents, and a commitment to intensified cooperation to dismantle immigration crime networks and enhanced deterrence messaging.

II.Strengthening Economic, Trade, Investment and Finance Cooperation

15.Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance economic cooperation, a key pillar of our bilateral relationship, championing free, fair, inclusive and sustainable trade and supporting a transparent and rules-based international trading system. We commit to cooperate to promote and strengthen trade and investment based on non-discrimination and mutual benefit.

16.The UK and Viet Nam will strive to enable a fair, transparent and open business environment in both our countries, removing market access barriers and facilitating smooth two-way trade so our businesses can export and invest with confidence.

17.Between our governments, we will maintain open and constructive dialogue through the Viet Nam–UK Joint Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee (JETCO) as the mechanism to address barriers faced by businesses from both countries in expanding trade and investment activities. We will actively strengthen the cooperation of our trade and investment promotion agencies. We will also work towards establishing an annual business dialogue mechanism between British business leaders and senior Vietnamese government figures to enhance trade and investment cooperation.

18.Both sides reaffirmed our commitment to close coordination to effectively implement and review the UK–Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). This includes facilitating market access by removing trade barriers for each other’s goods and services, protecting intellectual property rights, reducing additional costs, encouraging e-commerce, enabling businesses to build robust supply chains utilising the best of our respective economies in accordance with laws of both countries, and encouraging digital trade in response to new technologies and an increasingly interconnected world.

19.The leaders acknowledged the importance of respect for internationally recognised labour rights based on the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

20.As members of CPTPP, we will work together to progress the General Review and we acknowledge the importance of the agreement’s continued expansion.

21.Both sides welcomed the signing of the UK-Viet Nam Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Agreement.

22.Both sides 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, promote market access. Both sides agreed to approach any future negotiations on agricultural reform within the WTO framework in a cooperative and constructive manner.

23.Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the development of Viet Nam’s international financial centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, including through the UK-Viet Nam 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 promote development of capital markets, financial technology, green finance and insurance.

24.Both sides 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 Viet Nam, including through the launch of the UK-Viet Nam Green Finance Partnership. The two sides committed to removing institutional barriers, so the private sector can play a central role in promoting green growth and sustainable trade.

25.Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in trade finance through the design and implementation of transparent, effective, and sustainable trade finance mechanisms. The UK and Viet Nam will continue to exchange views and share experiences on trade finance registries and the utilisation of UK Export Finance (UKEF) export credit programme, which has a total offer of up to £5 billion for potential investments in Viet Nam. Both sides welcomed the signature of a memorandum of understanding between UKEF and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Finance.

III. Strengthening Cooperation in Science, Technology, Innovation, Digital Transformation and Health

26.Both sides committed to enhancing cooperation in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, recognising these as key drivers for sustainable and inclusive development. Both sides 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.

27.Both sides agreed to effectively implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation (2025) to strengthen cooperation in healthcare, green growth, and transformative technologies; promote 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.

28.Both sides acknowledged the importance and lasting impacts of digital transformation across countries and agreed to strengthen cooperation in policy making and joint initiatives in this space.

29.Both sides committed to promoting access to quality healthcare services for people and building efficient, sustainable, and resilient health systems. Both sides agreed to promote expert exchanges and policy dialogues, joint projects on global health security and antimicrobial resistance, and capacity building for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and population aging, 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.

IV. Cooperation on environment, energy and green transition

30.Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting a clean, just, and sustainable energy transition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with international commitments and each country’s development priorities, supported by ambitious, revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Viet Nam and the UK will prioritise green transition goals, particularly through effective implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) framework for Viet Nam, with the UK’s active participation and coordination within the International Partners Group. Viet Nam will continue to improve its legal framework, enabling policies to support the mobilisation of public and private finance towards climate goals, ensuring transparency and efficiency towards sustainable development.

31.Both sides agreed to establish a Viet Nam–UK Clean Energy Partnership between Viet Nam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant UK agencies, aimed at accelerating a low carbon, resilient economic transition in both countries; support the implementation of projects under the JETP framework; expand technical cooperation in areas such as renewable energy, gradual coal phase-out, and upgrading power grid infrastructure; create opportunities for UK businesses to invest in offshore wind and clean energy in Viet Nam, contributing to green industrial growth in both nations; remove legal and regulatory barriers inhibiting the green transition in accordance with legal processes of Viet Nam and the UK; improve inter-ministerial coordination to enable effective implementation of joint green transition goals; and promote green, inclusive jobs and sustainable urban development through green transport and energy efficiency.

32.Recognising the economic, social, environmental, and migration impacts of climate change, Viet Nam and the UK agreed to advance the Climate Partnership Memorandum of Understanding between Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to strengthen cooperation in climate risk management; support integration of climate adaptation goals into sectoral planning and mobilisation of finance for disaster risk reduction through their Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership; promote cooperation in nature-based solutions and biodiversity; and develop Viet Nam’s forest carbon market for effective implementation.

33.Both countries agreed to enhance technical cooperation and official development assistance (ODA) under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework. Alongside action on the necessary policy measures taken by Viet Nam, the UK committed to deploying targeted, technical support for Viet Nam through ODA initiatives aligned with the green development priorities of both countries, as well as in areas such as clean energy transition, green finance, carbon markets, green cities, transport and infrastructure, transboundary water resource management, marine environmental protection, climate-adaptive agriculture, and sustainable fisheries.

V. Strengthening Cooperation in Education, Culture, Sports, Tourism, People-to-People Exchanges, Equal Rights and Other Fields

34.Both sides pledged to ensure the protection and wellbeing of visitors and residents from Viet Nam and the UK in each other’s countries by upholding commitments given under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations with respect to national laws.

35.Viet Nam and the UK affirmed that education and training are pillars of sustainable growth and human development; welcomed the signing of the Letter of Intent and agreed to continue working towards the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two education ministries in the near future. The two sides agree to promote academic exchanges and encourage the establishment of new joint programmes, fostering cooperation between higher education institutions, vocational colleges and secondary schools through exchanges of lecturers, researchers, and students, especially in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and aerospace.

36.The UK confirmed its support for Viet Nam in promoting English teaching and training, aiming to make English a second language in Vietnamese schools by 2035 and elevating talent development through cooperation between educational organisations, training providers, and Vietnamese schools. Viet Nam welcomed UK educational institutions establishing branches and operating effectively in Viet Nam and encouraged enhanced transnational education cooperation, aiming to make Viet Nam a new international education hub.

37.Both sides agreed to encourage cooperation in culture, sports, tourism and media; coordinate the organisation of cultural, sports and artistic exchange and promotional activities in each country; facilitate the engagement of relevant agencies, associations and businesses in exploring cooperation opportunities and sharing information and experience in areas of mutual strength. Both sides welcomed the contributions and roles of the communities of both countries in promoting people-to-people exchanges and friendship between the two nations.

38.The leaders recognised the significant contribution the British Council makes to the bilateral relationship in areas such as cultural exchange and education. Both sides will work together to enable the British Council to continue these contributions, in accordance with Vietnamese law.

39.Both sides emphasised the importance of local-to-local cooperation; encouraged localities of both countries to strengthen exchanges and share experiences in sustainable development, smart cities, green transition and innovation. The UK and Viet Nam formally launched the Ho Chi Minh City-Liverpool City Region City2City Partnership, demonstrating the deepening friendship between the two countries and their cities.

40.The UK and Viet Nam both acknowledge the valuable contributions of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to socio-economic development and their role in supporting both countries’ efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

41.Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting and protecting human rights in accordance with the UN Charter and international law. Both countries will continue sincere, frank and constructive dialogue through multilateral mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review. They will collaborate on implementing international human rights instruments to which they are parties and share best practice on anti-discrimination legislation. The UK and Viet Nam will cooperate to foster inclusive societies that embrace and provide equal opportunities and respect for the human rights of all people, without discrimination of any kind.

VI. Strengthening Coordination on Regional and International Issues

42.Both sides committed to maintaining and promoting peace, stability, security, and prosperity globally, in line with the UN Charter and international law, and shared a common vision of a fair international order based on international law, respect for independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

43.Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation between the United Kingdom and the Mekong sub-region, particularly with the Mekong River Commission, in areas of sustainable development, climate adaptation, sustainable water management and green finance.

44.Both countries expressed deep concern over complex developments in global geopolitical hotspots; called for an end to violence, the protection of civilians, and unimpeded humanitarian access in accordance with international law; supported international efforts to promote dialogue, reconciliation and the search for peaceful, comprehensive and sustainable solutions to crises; and emphasised the importance of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in conformity with international law and based on the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.

45.Both sides emphasised the importance of achieving a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace in Ukraine, in accordance with international law and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. Viet Nam and the UK reaffirmed the importance of respecting the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations.

46.The UK and Viet Nam emphasised the importance of all actors in the Middle East adhering to the terms of the ceasefire agreement; called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and condemned all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. The two sides reiterated their commitment to the two-state solution as the only path to ensure a just and sustainable peace for both Israel and Palestine, as well as stability in the region.

47.Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region; underlined the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in seas and oceans; and peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). Both sides call upon countries in the region to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC, 2002); supported ongoing efforts to achieve a practical and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) consistent with international law, including UNCLOS 1982.

48.Based on the contents of this joint declaration, the ministries of foreign affairs of the two countries shall coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to develop a joint action plan to implement and realise the above-mentioned objectives.