(VOVworld) – Ho Chi Minh City’s Vietnam-UK Friendship Association held a ceremony on Wednesday to mark the 89^th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. Speaking at the event, Douglas Anthony Barners, the UK’s Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, reviewed the major milestones in Vietnam-UK bilateral ties. He said that bilateral ties have improved significantly, reflected in high-ranking visit exchanges and cooperation in trade, economics, education, national defense, and criminal prevention. Barners said Vietnam was one of the UK’s most important partners in Southeast Asia and hoped bilateral ties would further grow in the future.