The meeting aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation, exchange views on the province’s economic development potential and strategy, and explore opportunities for collaboration, particularly in renewable energy, drawing on U.K. expertise.
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William Lawrenson (second, right), British Deputy Consul General and head of Trade and Investment in Ho Chi Minh City, addresses the meeting. |
At the meeting, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Truc Son said that the new Vinh Long province, formed via the merger of the former Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Vinh Long provinces, covers more than 6,200 sq.km with 124 communes and wards.
Located at the heart of the Mekong Delta, the province enjoys convenient waterway and road connections to Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City, along with a 130-km coastline, providing favorable conditions for developing the marine economy, especially renewable energy projects.
He noted that cooperation between Vinh Long and the British Consulate General has been maintained effectively, with the U.K. being one of the province’s important trading partners.
In 2025, Vinh Long’s exports to the U.K. topped 65.7 million USD, marking a nearly 26% year-on-year increase. At present, 27 local businesses ship key products like textiles and garments, coconut-based goods, and seafood to the U.K. On the investment side, the province is home to four U.K.-funded FDI projects with a total registered capital of around 110 million USD, while two U.K. non-governmental organizations are offering scholarships for local children worth over 1.5 billion VND.
Son affirmed that Vietnam and the U.K., including Vinh Long and British partners, still have substantial potential for further cooperation. The province prioritizes attracting both domestic and foreign investment, particularly from the U.K., to drive local economic growth. Key investment areas include secondary investment in industrial parks with a focus on deep processing, agro-processing and supporting industries; renewable energy, especially wind power; and marine economic infrastructure.
Vinh Long aims to become a fast-growing and sustainable province in the Mekong Delta and is continuing to expand industrial parks and clusters while actively attracting investment in key sectors, he noted.
Looking ahead, the province hopes to draw U.K. enterprises with strong financial capacity and advanced technologies to invest in deep agro-processing, supporting industries, high-tech garments, industrial park infrastructure, and especially clean and renewable energy.
Vinh Long committed to facilitating administrative procedures and applying incentives in line with regulations to enable U.K. investors to implement green, high-value-added projects with confidence, he pledged.
For his part, Lawrenson praised Vinh Long’s development potential and its efforts to improve the investment environment. He expressed his wish to enhance business connectivity and promote trade and investment, particularly in clean energy and sustainable development.
He noted that the U.K. is implementing a long-term strategy to promote wind power projects globally, a clean energy source that makes an important contribution to local economic development, alongside programs supporting workforce training and sharing experience and solutions in renewable energy development.
He expressed hope that Vinh Long will create favorable conditions for U.K. businesses to participate in renewable energy projects in the province, contributing to greenhouse gas emission reduction and the shared goal of achieving net-zero emissions in the future.
Source: VNA