From October 28 to 30, 2025, Governor Nguyen Thi Hong of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) joined the high-level delegation accompanying Party General Secretary To Lam on his official visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The visit coincided with the 15th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam–UK Strategic Partnership (2010–2025), marking a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship, allowing the two countries to review the past achievements and identify a new vision and new orientations for future cooperation.
Party General Secretary To Lam delivers remarks at the High-Level Economic Conference
During the trip, Governor Hong attended several major events, including the Vietnam–UK High-level Economic Conference, the Vietnam–UK Business Forum, a roundtable on artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, and a policy dialogue at the University of Oxford. She also participated in meetings with the Vietnamese community in the UK, and bilateral sessions with senior executives from Standard Chartered, Airbus, and Rolls-Royce, as well as several other significant events.
Governor Nguyen Thi Hong attends the Vietnam–UK Business Forum
A key outcome of the visit was the Joint Statement issued on October 29, in which General Secretary To Lam and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed to upgrade the Vietnam-UK bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Joint Statement defines six pillars of cooperation, emphasizing trade, investment, finance, and green growth. Both sides committed to doubling the bilateral trade volume, promoting British investment in Vietnam in renewable energy, digital economy, and financial services, and launching a Vietnam–UK Green Finance Partnership. The two countries will also collaborate to develop international financial centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, leveraging the UK’s experience as a global financial hub.
Party General Secretary To Lam holds dialogue with Members of the UK Parliament’s APPG on Priorities for Advancing Bilateral Relations
At meetings with British business leaders, General Secretary To Lam highlighted Vietnam’s vision to become a high-income developed country by 2045, underscoring its commitment to sustainable, inclusive growth. He encouraged deeper cooperation in green finance, FinTech, and human capital development for the planned financial centers. The Governor, for her part, emphasized the State Bank’s regulatory initiatives in licensing, foreign exchange management, and anti–money laundering, inviting leading institutions like Standard Chartered to take a more active role in Vietnam’s emerging financial ecosystem.
Governor Nguyen Thi Hong attends events within the framework of the Official Visit
The visit also included dialogues with UK lawmakers, AI and semiconductor experts, and leaders of major British corporations. Across all engagements, messages of strong financial cooperation, technological innovation, and mutual trust were consistently affirmed. Since 2008, the SBV and the UK regulatory agencies have maintained a stable, effective partnership in bank supervision and financial integrity, which continues to expand through the active participation of British financial institutions in Vietnam’s market.
BC