President visits Vietnamese community and Vietnamese Embassy in UK

According to the Vietnam News Agency Special Envoy, starting the program to attend the coronation ceremony of King Charles III of England in the United Kingdom, on the evening of May 5 (local time), right after arriving in London,President Vo Van Thuong visited the staff of the Embassy and met with the Vietnamese community in the United Kingdom.

Attending the meeting were many representatives of Vietnamese associations in the UK such as: Vietnamese Association in the UK, Vietnamese Intellectuals Association in the UK, Vietnamese Family Association and Vietnamese Students Association in the UK...

Photo caption — *President Vo Van Thuong with officials, staff of the Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in the UK. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA*

Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long said that there are about 100,000 Vietnamese people living, working and studying in the UK; distributed in all regions of the UK but the vast majority are in London. Most of them have a national spirit, patriotism, solidarity, and always look towards building their homeland. They also closely coordinate with the Embassy, well implement the policies of the Party and State towards overseas Vietnamese; have many positive and important contributions to the process of building the Vietnamese community in the UK. In 2023, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the UK, the Embassy and associations and delegations are implementing many plans and programs to introduce Vietnam in London and many major cities across the UK. Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese in the UK Pham Trung Kien said that in recent times, the Association has actively organized propaganda activities, provided legal guidance, increased exchanges, and grasped communication information among the people; regularly organize activities towards the Fatherland. In particular, the Association also coordinates with relevant agencies to organize activities to connect and strengthen the friendship between Vietnamese people and indigenous people. In addition, the Association also maintains cultural, sports, artistic events, traditional Tet and supports new immigrants to the UK to integrate faster into the host country. Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals in the UK Nguyen Xuan Huan expressed the association's desire to bring intellectuals who have studied and researched abroad to contribute and dedicate to the socio-economic development of the homeland and country.

Mr. Hoang Viet Phuong - Chairman of the Vietnam Business Association in the UK - expressed his pleasure to welcome President Vo Van Thuong to London; assessed that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the UK has created favorable conditions for cooperation activities between businesses of the two countries, thereby contributing to increasing bilateral trade turnover. Also through cooperation programs and projects between the Vietnamese and UK business sectors, contributing to making the relationship between the two countries increasingly practical and effective. Representing more than 14,000 Vietnamese students studying in the UK, Chairman of the Vietnam Student Association in the UK Ha Phuong Anh informed about the very meaningful results of the association's activities, especially supporting the learning activities of Vietnamese students when studying in the UK; supporting students in exchanging, integrating into the new environment, improving learning outcomes. In particular, the Association has also organized many campaigns, donated, and presented gifts toeducational institutions with many difficulties in the country. Representatives of Vietnamese associations and delegations in the UK also expressed their wish to continue receiving attention and support from domestic and foreign agencies and enterprises to further promote the effectiveness of community connection activities, making more positive contributions to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in the coming time. Sharing with the people the warm feelings of the homeland and country, President Vo Van Thuong expressed his joy because during his second overseas trip as President, he witnessed the strong development of the Vietnamese community in the UK. The associations are organized closely and scientifically, creating a favorable environment for people to exchange information and provide timely support in life. The President said that the activities of the associations have actively contributed to enhancing the role and position of Vietnamese people in the UK, effectively contributing to the cause of building and developing the country and fostering the friendship between the two countries.

President Vo Van Thuong highly appreciated the activities of Vietnamese people in the UK towards their homeland, especially during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and their contributions to charity programs in the country.

Informing the people about the domestic situation, President Vo Van Thuong affirmed that the Party and State consistently follow an independent, self-reliant and open foreign policy. Vietnam has been and will continue to actively and responsibly contribute to the common work of the international community; build a peaceful and stable environment for national development through diplomatic channels: economy, culture, defense, security, people-to-people exchange... at both bilateral and multilateral levels. Referring to the special importance of the Vietnam-UK relationship, President Vo Van Thuong said that the two sides are making efforts to promote cooperation in all fields, aiming to elevate the relationship in the coming time. The UK has many areas of strength and great potential to promote cooperation such as: industry, education, finance, currency, pharmaceuticals... which are areas that Vietnam wishes to learn and develop. President Vo Van Thuong emphasized that the purpose of his visit to the coronation of King Charles III of the United Kingdom this time is to consolidate and strengthen the foundation of political relations and trust between Vietnam and the UK; at the same time, enhance bilateral cooperation in all fields between the two countries to become more practical and effective.

Affirming that the Party and State always consider the Vietnamese community an important and inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation, President Vo Van Thuong hopes that the Vietnamese community in the UK will comply with the law and integrate better with the host country, continue to overcome difficulties and obstacles to achieve further successes. In particular, it is necessary to closely maintain solidarity, connect the community, turn towards the homeland, and preserve national identity and culture. Taking note of the requests and wishes of the people, President Vo Van Thuong requested the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK, relevant ministries, branches and agencies at home and abroad to pay attention, support and create more favorable conditions for Vietnamese associations in the UK to promote their effective operations, contributing more to the good development of the Vietnam - UK friendship in the future.