Vietnam’s diplomatic agencies around the world have held get-togethers for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) on the threshold of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

On January 21, the Vietnamese Embassy in the US held a New Year celebration for OVs in Washington DC and adjacent areas, attracting nearly 300 Vietnamese expatriates in the country. 

Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh briefed participants on the country’s development, affirming that the Vietnamese community abroad is an indispensable part of the nation. 

While speaking highly of great contributions by OVs in the US to the homeland’s development, he stressed the embassy will work harder to facilitate activities of the community at home, contributing to the national development. 

The ambassador said the affiliation between Vietnam and the US has strongly developed across fields after the visit to the US by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in July 2015 and US President Barack Obama’s visit to Vietnam in May last year. 

He said he believes that the bilateral ties will be further fostered in a practical, effective, stable and long-term manner in the coming time. 

The same day, overseas Vietnamese in South Africa also celebrated Vietnam’s biggest traditional event. 

Addressing the function, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Vu Van Dung praised the Vietnamese community in the country for organising activities to promote unity. 

He also called for more contributions from OVs to enhancing the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. 

At the event, expatiates had a chance to enjoy traditional foods of Vietnam.

Earlier, on January 20, a similar event hosted the Vietnamese Consulate General in Vancouver, the province of British Columbia of Canada brought together representatives from diplomatic agencies of ASEAN member countries, overseas Vietnamese people in the country. 

In his speech, Consul General Pham Manh Hai briefed participants on the success of the 12th National Party Congress and Vietnam’s achievements in socio-economic development, and the fruitful development of the Vietnam-Canada relations. 

The Consulate General appreciates the Canadian Government’s continued provision of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam’s socio-economic development and climate change adaptation projects, he said.  

He affirmed Vietnamese expatriates abroad, including those in Canada, are always welcomed and encouraged to invest in the homeland, thus contributing to building the country.

The diplomat called on OVs to make more practical contributions to the nation’s development and to promoting the Vietnam-Canada friendship and cooperation. 

A representative from the province of British Columbia reviewed the fruitful ties between the two countries, as well as links between the province and Vancouver city with Vietnam. 

He highly valued the role played by the Consulate General in promoting the bilateral relations and supporting Vietnamese in western provinces of Canada.

Vietnamese community in UK, Brazil celebrate Tet

Vietnamese communities in the United Kingdom and Brazil recently held events celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year) festival.

On January 22, a gathering celebrating Tet was organised at Vietnam’s Embassy in the UK, drawing nearly 400 Vietnamese from around the country.

Speaking at the gathering, Vietnam’s Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Van Thao briefed attendees on developments in Vietnam in 2016.

He affirmed Vietnamese community is part of the Vietnamese nation and called on Vietnamese people in the UK to contribute more to the country’s development and the Vietnam-UK relationship.

On the occasion, Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao also highlighted the progress of the Vietnam-UK relationship.

On January 21 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Vietnam’s Embassy in Brazil and the contact board of Vietnamese people in Brazil organsed a ceremony to welcome the Year of the Rooster.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Do Ba Khoa lauded the Vietnamese community’s contributions to Brazil’s socio-economic development and to boosting friendship between the two countries.

Vietnamese communities in many countries celebrate Tet

Vietnamese communities in many countries around the world have begun celebrating the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2017.

In Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, the Vietnamese Embassy, the Association of Vietnamese and the Association of Vietnamese Enterprises in Laos, and the Association of Vietnamese in Vientiane jointly organised a Tet celebration on January 21.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung stressed that with the determination and joint efforts by both countries, the bilateral ties continued to be strengthened in 2016, especially following Party General Secreaty Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to Laos in November during which the two sides issued the Joint Statement and signed seven important cooperation documents.

The Vietnamese community in Laos developed and integrated well into the host country’s society last year, he said, appreciating their participation in movements supporting flood victims in central Vietnam and people in remote areas of Laos.

The ambassador said 2017 is a significant year for both Vietnam and Laos as the two countries will celebrate the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and 40th years since the signing of the Treaty on Cooperation and Friendship. He hoped Vietnamese here to keep fostering the special relationship between the two nations.

On the occasion, the representative offices of the Vietnam News Agency, Vietnam Television, Radio the Voice of Vietnam, Nhan dan Daily and Vietnam Culture Centre in Laos hosted a spring press festival showcasing Tet publications brought from Vietnam.

On the same day, a similar event was held by Vietnam’s Embassy in Japan, providing an opportunity for Vietnamese expatriates to meet each other after one year of hard work.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Quoc Cuong said that the Vietnam-Japan relationship has developed strongly in many fields, contributing to peace and stability in the region.

The 185,000-strong Vietnamese community in Japan has made positive contributions to the prosperity of the two countries, he noted.

Meanwhile, overseas Vietnamese in Australia also gathered in Canberra to celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year festival on January 21

Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Luong Thanh Nghi said that the Vietnam-Australia relationship developed widely and deeply in 2016 with many meetings of senior leaders.

Nghi affirmed achievements Vietnam has achieved are the result of the great efforts of the Party, State and people as well as overseas Vietnamese, including those in Australia.

The same day, Vietnam’s Consulate General in Sydney also held a gathering celebrating Tet for the Vietnamese community in the city.

Vietnamese in Cambodia, Algeria joyous with pre-Tet celebrations

The Vietnamese embassies in Cambodia and Algeria hosted celebrations for the upcoming traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) on January 19.

Ambassador to Cambodia Thach Du recognised the significant contributions of overseas Vietnamese to the homeland’s socio-economic-cultural development and international cooperation.

He highlighted the growing relations between Vietnam and Cambodia, noting that Vietnam is currently the fifth biggest investor and the third largest trade partner of Cambodia.

As of October 2016, two-way trade surpassed 2.38 billion USD, he cited.

The Ambassador reiterated the Party and State’s consistent viewpoint of regarding the Vietnamese community abroad and particularly in Cambodia as an indispensable part of the Vietnamese nation.

He revealed that Vietnam and Cambodia will join hands to host a number of activities to mark the 50th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967) this year.

Meanwhile, Ambassador to Algeria Pham Quoc Tru underlined Vietnam’s achievements in politics, tourism and economics in 2016.

Vietnam and Algeria have enhanced collaboration in various fields, he said, referring to the positive developments in the bilateral economic-trade partnership.

He noted that Algeria is the fourth biggest export market of Vietnam in Africa with the export turnover reaching nearly 270 million USD in 2016.

Vietnam also invested in oil and gas production in Algeria. The oil and gas joint venture between Vietnam, Algeria and Thailand began commercial operation since 2015, pumping around 18,000 barrels per day.

Labour cooperation saw a boom in the 1980s and 1990s with thousands of Vietnamese experts and workers working in Algeria in a range of sectors, from education, healthcare to agriculture and construction, Tru said.

He added that the two countries will celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2017 with activities aimed at reinforcing and enhancing their long-standing rapports and multi-faced cooperation.

OVs in Czech Republic celebrate Lunar New Year

Overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic gathered at an event to celebrate Lunar New Year 2017 hosted by the Vietnamese Association in collaboration with the Saparia company in Prague on January 20.

The event drew the participation of more than 800 representatives of Vietnamese businesses in the Czech Republic. 

The event also saw the participation of 14 officials and artists from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports.

Nguyen Hung, Vice Director of the department, said this was the first time the department had sent an art delegation with traditional music and dance performances to serve the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic.

VNA