Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Long receives UK Trade Envoy
On the morning of June 12, 2026, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hoang Long held talks with Matt Western, the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.
The UK delegation included His Excellency Iain Frew, British Ambassador to Vietnam; Alex Smith, British Consul General and Director of Trade and Investment for Vietnam; along with officials from the British Embassy in Hanoi.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral trade relations, preparations for the 15th Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting, cooperation within the framework of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2026, when Vietnam serves as Chair, as well as market access issues and cooperation in renewable energy.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Long acknowledged and highly appreciated the impressive growth momentum in bilateral trade. Two-way trade reached a record high of nearly USD 9.4 billion in 2025. In the first five months of 2026, bilateral trade amounted to almost USD 4.1 billion, up 12.5% year-on-year. He reaffirmed Vietnam’s readiness to facilitate greater investment and business expansion by British enterprises, particularly in infrastructure, railways and urban development, in line with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership upgraded in 2025.
Regarding cooperation under the JETCO and the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), both sides agreed to convene the 15th JETCO meeting and the fourth meeting of the UKVFTA Trade Committee in Hanoi in November 2026, alongside the CPTPP Council meeting. The UK side proposed sending a fintech delegation to Vietnam in August 2026 and expressed hope for support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Long welcomed the proposal and said the ministry would coordinate efforts to help the fintech delegation establish effective connections with Vietnamese enterprises in the e-commerce sector.
On CPTPP cooperation, the Deputy Minister highly valued the UK’s support in ensuring the successful organisation of the second Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM2) in London. The two sides exchanged views on the accession processes of new economies seeking to join the CPTPP and on the CPTPP-EU and CPTPP-ASEAN dialogues. Regarding the Economic Needs Test (ENT), the UK side expressed hope that Vietnam would soon complete amendments to Decree No. 09/2018/ND-CP to ensure compliance with CPTPP commitments.
On energy cooperation and offshore wind development, the Deputy Minister noted that Vietnam had officially launched the Offshore Wind Accelerator (OSW Accelerator) programme two days earlier. The two sides discussed opportunities for cooperation in developing offshore wind supply chains, upgrading grid infrastructure and expanding high-voltage power transmission systems. The UK side expressed its readiness to support Vietnam in these areas and affirmed that British funds had substantial financial resources available for clean energy projects in Vietnam. The Deputy Minister said Vietnam had already granted offshore wind survey licences for several projects and expected to select investors within the next six months, aiming to accelerate project implementation before 2035. Vietnam also seeks to develop domestic offshore wind supply chains and encourages private sector participation in investment in power transmission infrastructure.
On market access, the UK side expressed interest in addressing barriers affecting pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agricultural and food products. Regarding pharmaceuticals, both sides discussed the fact that licensing procedures in Vietnam remain lengthy compared with international standards. On agricultural products, the UK side called for faster registration and approval procedures for British pork, poultry and seafood products entering the Vietnamese market.
On other issues, the Trade Envoy informed the Vietnamese side that Susan Langley, Lord Mayor of the City of London, is expected to visit Vietnam in September 2026. He also expressed interest in cooperation on green finance and the legal framework related to the two International Financial Centres established in Vietnam.
Concluding the meeting, both sides agreed to maintain regular exchanges and strengthen practical cooperation under the JETCO, UKVFTA and CPTPP frameworks, thereby contributing to further deepening the Vietnam - UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the years ahead.
