UK-Vietnam Ties Boost ASEAN Trust, Says Ambassador Frew

Key Points

• British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew said the UK-Vietnam partnership has deepened trust between the two countries and within the wider ASEAN-UK relationship.
• New UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband chose ASEAN for his first international engagement after taking office.
• Miliband held his first bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung ahead of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila.
• Miliband and Trung co-chaired the ASEAN-UK Post-Ministerial Conference.
• The UK and ASEAN are marking the fifth anniversary of their dialogue partnership this year.
• The UK and ASEAN have completed 99 per cent of their first Plan of Action and agreed a more ambitious set of commitments for the next five years.
• The two sides adopted a joint statement on the Indo-Pacific, while the UK became the newest member of the ASEAN Regional Forum.
• ASEAN-UK trade has more than doubled over the past five years, exceeding £62 billion.
• UK-Vietnam trade nearly doubled to more than £10 billion by the end of 2025.
• The ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme is supporting regulatory reform, trade digitalisation and financial inclusion across ASEAN states.
• The UK and Vietnam upgraded their bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last year.
• The UK has supported the Vietnam-led ASEAN Future Forum since its launch in 2024.
• The UK and Vietnam are working through the Just Energy Transition Partnership to expand renewable energy and offshore wind investment.

Hanoi (Britain Today News) August 24, 2026 – The UK-Vietnam partnership has deepened mutual trust not only between the two countries but between the UK and the wider ASEAN community, British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew has said, as the two sides mark five years of the ASEAN-UK dialogue partnership with record trade figures, a new five-year cooperation roadmap and expanding collaboration on clean energy.

What Did Ambassador Iain Frew Say About UK-Vietnam Cooperation?

Frew described the relationship between London and Hanoi as a driving force behind the broader ASEAN-UK partnership, arguing that strong bilateral ties underpin effective regional cooperation. He said the trade growth, the expansion of joint programmes and Vietnam’s coordinating role within ASEAN all reflected a partnership that had matured significantly in recent years. According to the ambassador, the relationship now touches trade, investment, education, climate, security and innovation, giving it a breadth that few other bilateral partnerships in the region can match.

Why Did UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband Choose ASEAN For His First Overseas Trip?

According to Frew, the UK’s new Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, opted to attend an ASEAN gathering as his very first international engagement after taking office. The ambassador said this was a deliberate signal rather than a matter of scheduling.

“That first overseas engagement was no coincidence. In an increasingly volatile world, ASEAN provides a trusted and open platform for dialogue,”

Frew said. Before joining fellow foreign ministers at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, Miliband held his first bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung, underlining the priority placed on the Hanoi relationship.

What Happened At The ASEAN-UK Post-Ministerial Conference In Manila?

Following their bilateral talks, Miliband and Trung went on to co-chair the ASEAN-UK Post-Ministerial Conference in Manila. Frew pointed to this joint chairmanship as evidence of both the strength of the bilateral partnership and Vietnam’s standing as ASEAN-UK Country Coordinator, a role that has placed Hanoi at the centre of efforts to align the bloc’s priorities with London’s.

What Milestones Mark The Fifth Anniversary Of The ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership?

This year marks five years since the UK and ASEAN established their dialogue partnership, and Frew set out a series of achievements reached along the way. The two sides have completed 99 per cent of their first Plan of Action, he said, and have since agreed a new, more focused and ambitious set of commitments to guide cooperation over the next five years. A joint statement on the Indo-Pacific has also been adopted, while the UK has become the newest member of the ASEAN Regional Forum, the region’s principal platform for security dialogue.

How Has Vietnam’s Role As ASEAN-UK Country Coordinator Shaped The Partnership?

Frew was direct in crediting Hanoi’s coordinating role for much of the progress made. “Vietnam’s role as country coordinator has been instrumental in getting us to this point. From close consultations to joint projects, Vietnam has helped expand cooperation and keep the partnership in line with regional priorities. We will build on this in the years ahead,” he said. The comments position Vietnam as a central player in shaping how the UK engages with ASEAN as a bloc, rather than simply as one of ten member states.

How Much Has ASEAN-UK Trade Grown In The Past Five Years?

Turning to the economic relationship, Frew said trade between ASEAN and the UK had more than doubled over the past five years, climbing to over £62 billion. He said UK-Vietnam trade specifically had contributed significantly to that regional growth, describing the bilateral trade relationship as one of the fastest-growing within the wider ASEAN-UK picture.

What Is Driving The Growth In UK-Vietnam Trade?

According to the ambassador, UK-Vietnam trade has nearly doubled to more than £10 billion by the end of 2025. He said this expansion had come alongside targeted economic cooperation rather than growth in isolation, with structured programmes helping to translate rising trade volumes into deeper institutional ties between the two economies.

What Does The ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme Involve?

Frew highlighted the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme as a practical vehicle for this cooperation. He said the programme has been supporting regulatory reform, digitalising trade processes and promoting inclusive financial services across all ASEAN member states, work he framed as essential groundwork for sustaining the trade growth recorded over the past five years.

Why Was The UK-Vietnam Relationship Upgraded To A Comprehensive Strategic Partnership?

The ambassador pointed to the elevation of UK-Vietnam relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last year as proof that strong bilateral ties can, in turn, strengthen regional cooperation.

“The upgrade of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last year reflects the breadth and depth of cooperation that our two countries have built over many years across key sectors, including trade, investment, education, climate, security and innovation. This relationship also benefits the wider ASEAN region.”

Frew said.

How Is The UK Supporting The Vietnam-Led ASEAN Future Forum?

Frew cited the ASEAN Future Forum as a clear example of this cooperation in practice. The UK has supported the Vietnam-led initiative since it was first launched in 2024.

“Working with the Diplomatic Academy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, we have brought policymakers, experts, and young leaders from across ASEAN and dialogue partners together to develop and exchange ideas on this region’s future. Seeing increasing value in this platform, the UK and Vietnam stepped up their contribution to supporting ASEAN and UK youths to attend the 2025 and 2026 AFF, where they shared their vision of the future directly with state leaders, officials, businesses, and experts.”

He said.
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What Role Does The UK Play In Vietnam’s Clean Energy Transition?

Energy security featured prominently among the areas of cooperation Frew described. He said the UK is accelerating investment in clean power across Southeast Asia and is working closely with Vietnam through its co-leadership of the Just Energy Transition Partnership to support the country’s ambitions to expand renewable energy, unlock investment in offshore wind, and build a cleaner, more resilient energy system.

What Is The Outlook For The UK-ASEAN-Vietnam Relationship?

Summarising the broader picture, Frew argued that the strength of regional partnerships ultimately rests on the quality of individual bilateral relationships.

“The most successful regional partnerships are built on strong bilateral relationships. And the strongest bilateral relationships flourish within an effective regional framework. That is why the UK will continue to advance together with ASEAN – and with Vietnam – for many years to come.”

He said. His comments come as both the UK and Vietnam prepare to build on the new five-year Plan of Action, with trade, clean energy and youth engagement through the ASEAN Future Forum expected to remain focal points of the relationship in the period ahead.