Vietnam's Party General Secretary leaves Hanoi for official visit to UK

Vietnam and the U.K. established diplomatic relations on Sept. 11, 1973, with the U.K. being among the first Western nations to do so.

Over the past more than five decades, the friendship and cooperation between the two countries' peoples have continuously strengthened and developed.

The official visit by Party General Secretary To Lam, his spouse, and the high-ranking delegation coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam–U.K. Strategic Partnership (2010-2025).

It marks an important milestone, offering an opportunity for both countries to review bilateral cooperation, highlight key achievements, and outline new directions for advancing their partnership in the years ahead.

Vietnam and the U.K. issued a new Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership on Sept. 30, 2020, with seven priority areas of cooperation, affirming that the two sides aim to raise the relationship to a higher level in the next 10 years.

The two countries signed the Vietnam - U.K. Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), which officially took effect on Dec. 31, 2020.

Trade turnover in the first eighth months of 2025 reached US$6.1 billion, an increase of 9.3% over the same period in 2024.

By the end of August 2025, the U.K. had nearly 606 valid investment projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capital of about $4.65 billion, ranking 15th out of 152 countries and territories with investment projects in Vietnam.

Vietnam has 16 projects with a total registered capital of over $37.6 million in the fields of financial investment, wholesale and retail, auto and motorbike repair, accommodation and catering services.

The two countries also cooperate in areas such as development, education and training, climate change response, energy transition, local cooperation and semiconductors.

There are currently about 110,000 Vietnamese people in the U.K., including 12,000 students and postgraduates.