RELATIONS VIETNAM - ANH

Vietnam Relations - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland:

1. Political relations:

Vietnam and Britain established diplomatic relations dated 09.11.1973 ambassadorial level. But relations between the two countries only really developed well since the mid '90s Currently, Vietnam-UK relations can say is growing quite large in many areas of politics, economics, education, national security room ... He signed with Vietnam most economic agreements framework; becoming one of the leading ODA donor for Vietnam; Vietnam's support to strengthen ties with the EU and candidate committee chair UN Security Council non-permanent member of the 2008-09 course.

The official visit of UK President Tran Duc Luong's May 5/2004 and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An in January marked a milestone 3/2005 important development in bilateral relations.

Over the years, the two sides exchanged high-level visits, mainly:

- The Vietnam: Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet (1993); National Assembly Chairman Nong Duc Manh (1994); Prime Minister Phan Van Khai visited ASEM-2 and UK (1998); Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan (2003); Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien (2003; the Minister of Planning and Investment, Home Affairs, Education, State Bank of Vietnam, Hanoi Party Secretary, Chairman of Hanoi People's Council, several vice ministers, provincial and municipal presidents of Vietnam, visited the UK. the most recent official visit of President Tran Duc Luong month 5/2004 at the invitation of Queen UK, and the National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An in January 3/2005 at the invitation of the Chairman of the British House of Commons.

- In the UK: Princess Anne (1995 and 2002), Duke of York - Prince Andrew (1999 and 2006); Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott (2001 and 2004); British Foreign Secretary (1995 and 1997); the Minister and State Secretary of Finance Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Development Cooperation, Trade, Education; Development Cooperation Committee of the House of Representatives; Mayor of the City of London.

2. Economic relations:

Asian. Commerce:

Vietnam trade relations - He rose rapidly from the 90s to the present. Britain's trade policy is relatively open, not in protectionism. In matters of trade disputes between us and the EU as a condition of the EU for dumping me, or for seafood Vietnam infected antibody, Britain generally supported the stance of Vietnam.

In 5 years, Vietnam's exports to the UK increased from 18-25% / year, we constantly export surplus. These items mainly: shoes (53%), textiles (12%), tea and coffee (8%), rice (8%), fisheries (3%), rubber ... Import Products mainly from the British export: goods processing and industrial equipment (38%), chemicals (21%), telecommunications equipment (6%), tobacco (3%) ...

In 2006, Vietnam's exports to the UK increased by 12.5%, reaching US $ 1.45 billion. Vietnam imported from England about 170 million, up 17%.

He currently has 138 commercial representative offices and branches resident trader in Vietnam. These offices generally works well. He founded the Community of the UK business in Vietnam (BBGV) in 1998 to promote economic ties with Vietnam and other charitable activities in Vietnam

b. Invest:

British companies in Vietnam early (1988-89), but the first time focused on oil and gas (70% of total investment). British investors now have expanded into new areas such as bank finance, manufacturing, apparel ... In general the British investment projects of small and medium scale, focusing on the fields area: oil (accounting for 61.3% 5 projects a total investment of England), heavy industry (accounting for 29.2% 6 projects total investment), light industry (8 projects, accounting for 3% total investment), banking and finance, insurance, apparel, manufacturing ...

As of 6/2006, the UK has 70 projects that are in force with a total investment of 1.272 billion dollars, ranking 12/61 in some countries and regions, and No. 3 in the EU after France and the Netherlands (in the UK the figure is $ 2.2 billion is attributed to the British investment company from Hong Kong, Singapore ...).

Large companies have been present in Vietnam: Oil company BP-Amoco joint venture with Statoil (Norway), Petro Vietnam Company in the Project Path consumption of gas and Nam Con Son gas, transport group P & O, Graig Shipping, Shell, BAT, GlaxoSmithKline, Tate & Lyle, Unilever, Coats, ICI, Finley Tea, CASTROL, HSBC, Standard Chartered bank. Recently a number of large financial funds invest in Vietnam as Dragon Capital (200 million dollars), Prudential (500 million dollars).

Life insurance company Prudential has been in Vietnam since 1994, officially operating under permits 100% foreign investment outside the day 10/29/1999; hire more than 5,000 employees; selling life insurance for over 200,000 people, led by the foreign insurance companies are now present in us; VND 1,000 billion revenue in 2001; is an investment project of the UK's most successful in Vietnam.

C. Development cooperation:

In 1992, the British government began to resume aid to Vietnam. Since 2001, UK aid to Vietnam increased significantly due to two main reasons: first, the Labour government priority development cooperation and building a support policy for developing countries, established the Department for International development Cooperation (DFID - Department for International development) in charge of development aid instead managed to Ministry of Foreign Affairs as before; Monday, Vietnam and poverty reduction policy right has created a reputation for international sponsors, thus attracting the attention of the British government. Some projects funded by the British in Vietnam was very successful and the British as "role models" for the project financing. He established a representative office in Hanoi DFID since 1999 to directly manage development aid in Vietnam.

Thanks to these factors, the UK has significantly increased the level of funding for Vietnam and became one of the leading donors for Vietnam: UK aid 2002-04 period rose from 20 million pounds in 2002 ( equivalent to US $ 35 million up to 40.5 million pounds in 2004 (equivalent to US $ 60 million). In the UK visit of President Tran Duc Luong in 2004, Britain pledged to increase aid to Vietnam 55 million pounds England in 2005 (equivalent to 90 million US dollars). Also replace Vietnam British commitment to repay the world Bank US $ 100 million (10% of total debt of Vietnam in 2005-2015. He intended for Vietnam Male 250 million pounds (about 442 million US dollars) for the period 2006-2010.

UK aid has the following characteristics:

- Mainly non-refundable. He is one of the leading donors of Vietnam non-refundable aid.

- Focus on the field of poverty reduction and technical assistance for Vietnam in the international integration.

- Britain's aid policy is quite flexible, for the recipient country to decide on the use of aid on its priority objectives. 2005 He participated in the pilot program 135 (poverty alleviation project of the government of Vietnam), pouring straight into the £ 10 million state budget Vietnam, to Vietnam under the sole power to regulate its objectives government.

d. Cultural Relations - Educational:

In recent years, cooperation between Vietnam and the UK in the field of education and training, a positive development. Every year, you spend 25-30 scholarships for students in Vietnam. Vietnam People's Government scholarship UK so far is over 600. The rest is self-sufficient students. We have about 5000 students from Vietnam are studying at universities in the UK.

British Council (BC) has been present in Vietnam since late 1993, is headquartered in Hanoi and HCMC. So far BC has organized English language intensive courses for free on our 1,000 staff, of which more than 40 officers of Deputy Ministers and equivalent. In addition, through the British Council, the British government has helped Vietnam train English and provide short-term scholarships for civil servants in Vietnam. From 1994 to now, about 20 affiliate programs Vietnam-UK university. Currently University of East Anglia has been granted license to open representative office in Hanoi, University Webminster associated with Hanoi University of Technology is pleased to open the representative office. The British Embassy has organized three exhibitions postgraduate education of English in Vietnam.

Hey. Security relationship - defense:

May 9/1996, Britain sent the first military attaché concurrently Vietnam (resident in Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia). From 1996 to present, the two sides discussed a number of military delegations. For Vietnam visit with Deputy Secretary of Defense England (9/2001 and 9/2003), Deputy Commander of the Air Defense-Air Force, Navy (1996, 1998.1999); Deputy Chief of General Staff (2004). He visited our side with Defense Research Institute (1999, 2001, 2003), Chief of the British Army (3/2004, Chief of the British Army. From 1999 to 2004, He was elected 5 times vessel Navy visit HCM City. the two sides signed six contracts to provide optoelectronic devices, alloy steel shipbuilding etc ..., the total value of about $ 2 million in 2003. He helped the English training program for the Ministry of National training room and Vietnam participating officers peacekeeping force of the United Nations.

Regarding security, the Home Office and the Ministry of Public Security Vietnam frequent exchange of visits at the ministerial level visits and high-level delegation. To the British Interior Ministry State Secretary Des Browne (now minister of Defence) visits Vietnam. The two sides exchanged information cooperation in the field of prevention of fiscal violations, terrorism. The UK appreciated Vietnam's cooperation in getting the issue of illegal immigrants into the UK. He helped the English training program for staff of the Ministry of Public Security.

f. Consular Relations - Tourism:

In 5 years, the average per year, about 25,000 British tourists in Vietnam. In 2005, the total number of tourists to Vietnam is 70,000 people. The number of people living in England Vietnam about 35,000 people, generally live in the integration and stability.

In 2003, Vietnam and the UK have already dealt with the issue of diplomatic property's 4 former British Embassy in HCMC. The British government currently has handed over the property to us $ 2.2 million.

At the request of Vietnam, the British government has decided to exempt from visas for officials of Vietnam diplomatic passports and official duties.

Vietnam has signed a memorandum of understanding on migration issues with the UK 11/2004 for the purpose of strengthening bilateral cooperation against illegal immigration and encourage legal immigration.