(VOVworld) – Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong received outgoing British ambassador Antony Stokes in Hanoi on Wednesday.

He congratulated the ambassador on completing his mission in Vietnam and praised his contributions to relations between the two countries. He called on Vietnam and the UK to strengthen their strategic partnership to match their potential and increase cooperation at regional and global forums. The British ambassador said the UK supported Vietnam’s close relations with the EU. Concerning the situation in the East Sea, he said the UK has been following recent complications in the region and its stance is that the concerned parties must be responsible for ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea and settling disputes through peaceful measures and in line with international law.