(VOVworld)- Vietnam and the UK have signed a 2012 Action Plan to continue implementation of the Joint Statement on establishing strategic partnership between the two countries.

Signing ceremony for 2012 Action Plan

Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Vu Quang Minh and British Foreign Minister Jeremy Browne signed the Action Plan yesterday in London, setting out priority areas of cooperation for this year. The two sides will hold a 2012 Strategic Dialogue on politics-diplomacy, security, and defense-related issues in Vietnam and a policy-planning dialogue in London to exchange views on global and regional issues. Vietnam and the UK also agree to substantive increases in trade and investment to meet targets of 4 billion USD in bilateral trade and 3 billion USD direct investment by the UK in Vietnam by 2013.

In the area of sustainable socio-economic development, it is agreed that South-south cooperation will be promoted through lessons learned from Vietnam’s development. The two sides will cooperate in the fight against corruption and against climate change through green growth policies. The UK supports an enhanced role for Vietnam in international climate change negotiations. The two sides agree to hold regular discussions on economic reform, including state-owned enterprise reform, banking sector reform, policies and regulations, public investment, and public financial reviews.

Regarding education, training and science and technology, the UK will help improve educational outcomes for primary school students, especially poor and ethnic minority children, through the School Education Quality Assurance Programme. The two sides will finalize early agreement on a Vietnam-UK international standard university in Da Nang city.