Overseas Vietnamese in Denmark. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The overseas Vietnamese community has acted as an important bridge in promoting traditional friendship between Việt Nam and other countries, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng during a meeting with press on Thursday.

Hằng, who is also the Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, said the overseas Vietnamese community now has about six million people in 130 countries and territories, 80 per cent of which are developing countries.

The number of Vietnamese people studying, working, getting married and making investments overseas is on the rise, she said.

The Party and State’s special affection for the Vietnamese people abroad has been demonstrated in the Politburo’s documents, the Government’s action programmes and projects. Overseas Vietnamese can deliver wishes and make proposals to the amendments of Vietnamese laws linked to their concerns, Hằng said.

She emphasised the importance of supporting the overseas Vietnamese community in upholding their role and position, and strengthening their legal status in the host society.

She said on June 7, 2023, the Vietnamese community was officially recognised by Slovakia’s Government as the 14th ethnic minority community. This is one example to demonstrate the growth of the overseas Vietnamese community, creating conditions for Vietnamese people to integrate deeply into the host society and contribute to the development of the cooperation between Việt Nam and other countries.

The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs has called on the Vietnamese community abroad to preserve traditional culture, especially the Vietnamese language.

"This is not only a task of the overseas Vietnamese, but is also a challenge for the overseas communities of many countries around the world,” she said.

She said in 2024, promoting the Vietnamese language is one of the key tasks set by the committee, hoping that overseas Vietnamese will promote digital applications and online learning as well as developing friendly Vietnamese learning applications on smartphones and other smart devices.

The committee will also promote the soft power of the Vietnamese community abroad, demonstrated through maintaining and enhancing their position in the host country, by holding cultural activities and sharing with communities in times of difficulties like the pandemic.

She said the 2024 Homeland Spring, an annual programme welcoming overseas Vietnamese back home on Tết (Lunar News Year) holiday, is scheduled to be held in HCM City on February 1 and 2. — VNS