Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng presents a gift to Trần Thị Chang, Chairwoman of the Malaysia – Việt Nam Friendship Association. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng recently led a delegation on a working visit to Malaysia, hailing the OV community's efforts in preserving the traditional culture and contributing to the homeland. 

During Hằng's meeting with the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia, Ambassador Đinh Ngọc Linh and representatives of Vietnamese agencies in Malaysia reported on the local Vietnamese community, which numbers around 30,000 people, including workers, students, researchers, and women in multicultural families. The community has shown activeness in developing livelihoods and integrating into the Malaysian society while maintaining strong connections to their homeland.

They have organised various activities to strengthen ties within the community, uphold the Vietnamese language and culture, introduce Vietnamese cuisine, and participate in charitable efforts. Notably, the community donated over VNĐ300 million (US$11,800) to support victims of Typhoon Yagi in Việt Nam. 

The Malaysia – Việt Nam Friendship Association has played a key role in fostering the OV community's solidarity and contributing to bilateral relations. Meanwhile, the embassy has prioritised community support and citizen protection while organising Vietnamese language classes at the embassy and online.

However, certain difficulties related to the legal status and living conditions have hindered the community from maximising their development potential.

Deputy Minister Hằng praised the embassy’s efforts, particularly in protecting the rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens.

She asked the embassy to push ahead with performing OV-related tasks and implementing the Party and State's policies towards the community, provide timely assitance for the OVs, and augment efforts to preserve the traditional culture and promote the Vietnamese language education, thereby contributing to people-to-people diplomacy as well as friendship between the two countries, an important part of the Việt Nam – Malaysia Strategic Partnership.

During her visit, Hằng met with leaders of the Malaysia – Việt Nam Friendship Association and community representatives while visiting a Vietnamese language class along with some families and businesses of OVs in Kuala Lumpur and nearby areas.

The official commended the community’s efforts and achievements over the past years, noting that many have run successful businesses, become prestigious persons in the local society, and won recognition by the Malaysian administration. She also hailed their contributions to the homeland, preservation of the traditional culture, teaching of the Vietnamese language, and support for people for disadvantages.

The OVs expressed gratitude for the Party and State’s support and proposed Vietnamese leaders work with the Malaysian administration to help further strengthen the legal status of OVs, especially those from multicultural families, in Malaysia. They also asked for the State Committee's help with educational materials and infrastructure to step up the language education as well as with cultural preservation.

Deputy Minister Hằng also visited Trần Thị Chang, Chairwoman of the Malaysia – Việt Nam Friendship Association, and some outstanding OV businesses, emphasising the OVs’ role in promoting Việt Nam’s image and fostering bilateral ties. — VNS