Agreement (UKVFTA), which will take effect on May 1, is expected to open up
opportunities for to navigate the Vietnamese market.
UK Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Emily Hamblin said 99
percent of tariff will be waived in the next six years thanks to the deal.
She added that the UK has taken advantage of digital
transformation to expand public access to quality health care services in an
equitable manner, in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goal No.3 regarding health and welfare.
In the first stage of digital transformation, Vietnam has
many opportunities from making use of creative solutions from the UK, she said.
Chairman and General Director of the AstraZeneca Vietnam Nitin
Kapoor spoke highly of the deal for helping millions of Vietnamese
patients access advanced and quality medicines.
He highlighted the significance of the agreement when
Vietnam and the UK are looking toward a strategic partnership in the next
decade and closer cooperation in health care.
Last year, Real Capital London launched the Hong Anh Medical
Campus project in Ho Chi Minh City, which is expected to serve as a modern
health care system, with a 462-bed hospital, a medical training centre, general
clinics, pharmacies, accommodations and a nursing home for the elderly.
The project is divided into four stages, with two final
stages scheduled for completion before 2030.
To date, UK investors have poured 3.87 billion USD into over
400 projects in Vietnam, becoming the 15th biggest investor in the
country.
According to Hamblin, Vietnam – UK trade grew by 12 percent
on average annually in the past decade. Via the UKVFTA, UK service providers
are able to better access the Vietnamese market.
Sharing the same view, Executive Chairman of the Grant
Thornton Vietnam and a board member of the British Chamber of Commerce in
Vietnam Kenneth Atkinson noted that the UKVFTA is one of the first deals signed
and joined by the UK following its Brexit last year.
He also hoped that less barriers will attract more UK firms
to Vietnam, especially in health care./.
Source: VietnamPlus