To meet expectations, Dung said it was essential that Viet Nam focus on key exports, such as agricultural products, footwear, clothing, wooden furniture and plastic products.

In addition to calling on domestic trade promotion agencies and associations to foster closer co-operation with the UK to determine market demand, it also plans to organise more exchanges of business delegations.

Dung also said Viet Nam would organise more trade fairs in the UK.

Dung said more and more UK firms were showing interest in investing in Viet Nam. According to the UK Department of Trade and Investment, Viet Nam is now considered the 17th most important export market.

The UK imported 893 million pounds (over US$1.39 billion) worth of commodities from Viet Nam up to October last year, a year-on-year rise of 7.4 per cent. It also exported 171 million pounds ($267 million) worth of goods to Viet Nam, a year on year increase of 12 per cent. — VNS