Vietnamese all over Turkey gathered in the capital of Ankara on January 23 to attend a meeting and a spring welcome program held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey.

The meeting took place in a warm atmosphere, characterized with Vietnamese culture with traditional dishes such as banh chung, spring rolls, pork pies... and traditional songs and dances.

On the evening of January 29, in Vientiane, the Embassy of Vietnam in Laos hosted a banquet to welcome the Lunar New Year 2016. Ambassador Nguyen Manh Hung conveyed Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s best New Year wishes to Lao leaders and guests attending the banquet.

Lao Deputy Prime Minister Phankham Viphavan, confidently stated that the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples are an invaluable asset and the two countries will harvest great achievements in 2016.

In the jubilant and warm atmosphere, attendees enjoyed Lao and Vietnamese traditional dishes and music performances.

On January 30, the Vietnam Embassy in Japan held a meeting with the overseas Vietnamese community in Japan on the occasion of Spring 2016.

At the meeting, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong reviewed the success of Vietnam in the past year, especially the success of the 12th National Party Congress. 

The Vietnamese community in Japan has expanded rapidly with more than 120,000 people at present, double the figure recorded in 2013, he said, praising their contributions to national construction and defence as well as the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.

Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong said that along with the development of bilateral relations, the Vietnamese community in Japan is expanding rapidly with more than 120,000 people, doublethat amount compared to 2013.

The meeting took place in a cozy atmosphere with an art show performed by Vietnamese students in Japan.

On January 27, nearly 400 guests representing the authorities, businesses, universities, friendship organizations with Vietnam, the Vietnam Consulate in Osaka and international friends met with the community of Vietnamese and Vietnamese students in the city of Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. A group of Vietnamese artists performed traditional songs and dances.

The same day, the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia held a get-together with the participation of more than 300 Vietnamese people and international friends in the country.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Pham Cao Phong hailed the activities conducted by the Vietnamese community in Malaysia in 2015, especially their reception for Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung during his official visit to the country. During the Prime Minister’s visit, the two sides agreed to upgrade their relationship to a strategic partnership, he noted.

More than 600 overseas Vietnamese in the Philippines attended the Lunar New Year meeting at Century Hotel, Manila on January 30. The Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Truong Trieu Duong warmly welcomed guests.

A traditional dance performed by Vietnamese students at the gatherings.

On January 31, the Vietnam Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau held a gathering to welcome Lunar New Year 2016 with overseas Vietnamese in Hong Kong and Macau. Consul General Vu Chi Mai (far right) made banh chung with Vietnamese in Macau.

Earlier, the Vietnam Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau (China) organized an art show for the community of overseas Vietnamese.

More than 250 guests and the Vietnamese community in Indonesia raised a glass and enjoyed traditional cuisine at a party held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Jakarta on January 31.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Hoang Anh Tuan reviewed highlights in bilateral relations, including two-way trade at 5.4 billion USD in 2015, which is expected to hit 10 billion USD in 2018.

Previously, many Vietnamese in Indonesia made banh chung.

Some 300 Vietnamese nationals living in Cambodia gathered at the Vietnamese Consulate General headquarters in Sihanoukville on February 1 to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

 Addressing the event, General Consul Do Sy Kieu updated participants on the success of the 12th National Party Congress and socio-economic developments in 2015.

He said he highly valued significant achievements in the friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia in 2015. He also expressed his hope that the Vietnamese community will continue to help foster the solidarity and friendship between the two nations.

The overseas Vietnamese were treated with traditional dishes, folk games and music performances.

In London, more than 300 Vietnamese people, including businesspersons and students, and their British friends gathered at an event held by the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK on January 31.

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao said the homeland reaped a number of massive integration and development achievements last year, which were greatly contributed by overseas Vietnamese.

He asked the expatriate community to expand their efforts to consolidate solidarity, integrate into the local society, popularise Vietnam’s images, and deepen the Vietnam – UK strategic partnership.

Participants at the gathering enjoyed traditional Tet dishes and spring-themed songs performed by Vietnamese students.

The meeting held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Mexico on January 24. The event had the presence of many local officials and the ambassadors of ASEAN countries, Turkey, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, and overseas Vietnamese. Also during the ceremony, the guests were introduced to anexhibition of more than 100 photographs of the scenery, cuisine, festivals of Vietnam and photos of Vietnam - Mexico relations.

Vietnam Consulate General in Shanghai Nguyen Thanh Mai (center) at the Lunar New Year party on January 17.

Photo: Vietnamese cuisine at the party in Shanghai.

More than 200 Vietnamese in Beijing also gathered at a meeting at the Vietnamese Embassy on January 30 to welcome the Year of the Monkey.

 In his remarks, Charge d’affairs of the Vietnamese Embassy in China Vu Tien Dung briefed the overseas Vietnamese on their homeland’s socio-economic situation last year as well as the country’s major achievements in international integration and foreign relations.

 Regarding the Vietnam-China ties, the diplomat affirmed that the relationship has developed fruitfully, as evidenced by high-level visits and meetings during which the two sides reached agreements on measures to deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and address remaining differences.

 He also applauded the contributions made to national construction and development at home by the Vietnamese community in China.