Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính meets with Vietnamese community in Brazil and neighbouring South American countries. — VNA/VNS Photo

SAO PAULO — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính expressed his hope that the Vietnamese community in Brazil and neighbouring South American countries would act as an important bridge connecting Việt Nam and the host nations.

The leader had a meeting with the community in Sao Paulo on Saturday evening (local time) during his official visit to Brazil.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Phạm Thị Kim Hoa, the Vietnamese community in Brazil and neighbouring South American countries, though not a large group, always promotes the tradition of solidarity, works and studies hard, follows local laws, and preserves national identity.

The Vietnamese community in Brazil and neighbouring South American countries expressed their gratitude for the attention of the Party and the State, especially the leaders, towards their lives and affirmed that they would continue to strive to contribute to Việt Nam’s development and strengthen the relationship between Việt Nam and other countries.

They expressed their hope that the Prime Minister would propose that the governments of the host countries protect their legitimate rights and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese people to do business, work, and live there.

Conveying the greetings of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and other key State and Party leaders to the Vietnamese community, Chính affirmed that the Party and State encouraged and created conditions for Vietnamese people to do business and live in all countries.

The Party and the State always considered the Vietnamese community abroad, including the Vietnamese community in Brazil and South American countries, as an inseparable part of the great Vietnamese national unity bloc, he said.

The PM was pleased to know that the Vietnamese community in Brazil and South American countries all have stable, prosperous and happy lives and jobs. The Vietnamese people support each other and are given favourable conditions and full legal guarantees by the local government.

PM Chính informed the Vietnamese community in Brazil and other South American countries about the fruitful cooperation between Việt Nam and Brazil.

Việt Nam and Brazil established diplomatic relations in 1989 and upgraded to comprehensive partners in 2007. Brazil is Việt Nam's largest trading partner in Latin America and second in the American continent, after the United States.

In 2022, the two-way trade turnover hit a record level of US$6.78 billion. Brazil currently has six investment projects in Việt Nam with a total registered capital of $3.83 million. Việt Nam and Brazil are both major markets for each other.

There was ample room for bilateral cooperation, Chính said, adding that his trip this time aimed to promote bilateral cooperation more substantively and effectively.

Chính hoped that the Vietnamese community in Brazil and South America would continue to promote solidarity, uphold national pride, and help each other overcome difficulties while integrating into the local community, complying with the law, and contributing to the development of the host country.

The PM also listened to the Vietnamese community’s difficulties and proposals and instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Brazil to address them promptly.

He said he would raise these issues during talks with Brazilian President Lula da Silva.— VNS