VietNamNet Bridge – About 600 overseas Vietnamese (Viet kieu) from 25 countries on Tuesday participated in a meeting with HCM City authorities to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) 2018.

HCM City on Tuesday held a meeting with overseas Vietnamese from overseas returning home for the Tet holiday. — Photo: VNE

The meeting was a special gift that HCM City had prepared to welcome overseas Vietnamese returning home for the holiday, said Nguyen Thanh Phong, deputy secretary of the municipal Party’s Committee and chairman of the municipal People’s Committee.

Speaking at the meeting, Phong praised overseas Vietnamese’ contributions to the development of HCM City and Viet kieu community in 2017.

“The Viet kieu community is an inseparable part of the Vietnamese community,” he said, adding that he looks forward to another great year with the community.

On behalf of the Viet kieu community, Chau Ba Long from Australia thanked the authorities for the warm welcome and for providing the community with favourable conditions to live and work in Vietnam.

Long said the community would continue to support HCM City in making it more sustainable, prosperous and vibrant.

At the meeting, the municipal People’s Committee awarded five organisations and 15 individuals for their outstanding contributions to the development of HCM City last year.

The meeting is an annual event organised by the HCM City.

In addition to the meeting, a photo exhibition, called “HCM City Welcomes Compatriots Home on the Occasion of Lunar New Year 2018” was held, showcasing about 100 photos capturing vibrant HCM City with Vietnamese compatriots.

Source: VNS