Vietnam a beacon of progress for developing nations: Laos and UK Ambassadors

The aspiration to rise

Recalling the historic milestone of September 2, 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence declaring the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), the Lao Ambassador to Vietnam, Khamphao Ernthavanh, affirmed that Vietnam has gone through a journey of hardship but also immense glory. The 80-year journey has been tied to resilient struggles to protect independence and unity, laying a firm foundation for national construction and development.

According to Ambassador Ernthavanh, from a nation once blockaded and embargoed, Vietnam has now established diplomatic relations with most countries around the world, becoming a strategic and comprehensive partner of many major powers, and actively participating in international forums such as the UN, ASEAN, and APEC - successfully serving multiple terms as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. This affirms Vietnam’s capacity and reputation in contributing to global peace and development.

What impresses Ambassador Ernthavanh most is Vietnam’s ability to maintain political and social stability in a volatile world. She emphasized that this is an important advantage for attracting foreign investment, expanding trade cooperation, and promoting sustainable growth:

“All these achievements have created the image of an independent, self-reliant, dynamic, and integrated Vietnam, serving as an inspiration for many developing countries.”

Affirming that Vietnam–Laos relations are “special, loyal, and rare in the history of international relations,” the Ambassador stressed that today Vietnam has risen strongly, becoming one of the most dynamic economies in the region, with an increasingly high international standing:

“This is not only a source of pride for the Vietnamese people but also for close friends like us. On this special occasion, I extend my warmest congratulations and believe that Vietnam will continue firmly on the path of reform, leading the country to prosperity, happiness for its people, and a just, democratic, and civilized society,” Ambassador Ernthavanh sincerely shared.

Steady development and deep integration

Having lived in Vietnam for over three years, what impressed UK Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew most is the country’s the consistent pace of economic development and growth, which has helped this country move from being a lower income country to now a middle income country, with a real prospect of developing to be a high income country by 2050.

“We're seeing a comprehensive development of the country, and that is important, because it is lifting 100 million people to greater level of being able to improve their and their famil's lives,” Ambassador Frew affirmed.

According to him, Vietnam has demonstrated proactive and strong integration through free trade agreements, including the UK–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), creating a solid foundation for trade and investment. From the perspective of British investors, Vietnam is a market with a stable business environment and long-term, sustainable, green growth commitments. In addition, Vietnam has strong fundamentals: it lies in a fast-growing region, has a young and dynamic population, high education levels, and an ambition to reach the world.

"From my perspective, there is a lot to find attractive about Vietnam as an investment destination, and with the businesses I talked to from the UK, they are very excited and very positive about this story, not just of where Vietnam is now, but where Vietnam can be in 10 or 20 years from now."

In today’s turbulent world, Ambassador Frew noted that Vietnam is increasingly affirming its role and position—not only performing well at the UN Security Council but also contributing actively to global issues such as security, sustainable development, and climate change response. Within ASEAN, Vietnam’s voice carries growing weight, helping shape a peaceful and prosperous Southeast Asia.

Looking back at 15 years of the Vietnam–UK Strategic Partnership, the Ambassador highlighted bright achievements: two-way trade has grown from £3.9 billion to over £9 billion; over 350,000 British tourists are expected to visit Vietnam this year; and around 12,000 Vietnamese students are studying in the UK. He also expressed confidence that cooperation will expand in new fields such as energy transition, green finance, semiconductor technology, and innovation.

Sending congratulations to the Vietnamese people on National Day, Ambassador Frew said emotionally:“I am thrilled and so positive to see vehicames people celebrating 80 years of this country's national day and the Declaration of Independence in 1945. This is an occasion to celebrate how far Vietnam has come, and as international friends, we're really, really pleased and really excited to celebrate here with you. Now, what that means for the future is down to the Vietnamese people, but what I think you have in Vietnam is incredible spirit, an incredible investment in this country's future."