Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation hold a cordial meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community in London on the evening of October 28. VNA/VNS Photo

LONDON – As part of their official visit to the UK, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation held a cordial meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community, associations, intellectuals, students, and officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in London on the evening of October 28 (local time).

At the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Đỗ Minh Hùng expressed his heartfelt gratitude and deep emotion at the fact that the General Secretary and his entourage chose to meet overseas Vietnamese as their first engagement in London.

He said this gesture vividly reflects the Party and State’s profound affection and great attention toward overseas Vietnamese communities, including those in the UK, and reaffirms Việt Nam’s consistent policy of fostering great national solidarity and mobilising the collective strength of the Vietnamese people for national construction and development.

The diplomat noted that the Vietnamese community in the UK now numbers over 100,000, actively integrating into local society while maintaining a strong patriotic spirit, preserving cultural traditions, and fostering mutual support.

The dynamic network of Vietnamese entrepreneurs and intellectuals here has become an increasingly important bridge for promoting trade, science, and technology cooperation between the two countries. He also commended the embassy’s efforts to support the community over the past time, earning their trust and recognition.

Representatives of Vietnamese associations, intellectuals, and students in the UK expressed their deep appreciation for the General Secretary’s visit, describing it as a source of great encouragement and inspiration for overseas Vietnamese. They voiced their aspiration to contribute to the homeland’s development, particularly in science, technology, and digital transformation, and proposed that the Party and State establish mechanisms to encourage overseas intellectuals and students to return for national progress.

Extending his warm greetings, General Secretary Tô Lâm noted that his visit takes place at a time when Việt Nam-UK relations are flourishing. He said he will call on the UK to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live stably, develop sustainably, and make meaningful contributions to both nations, serving as a vital bridge of friendship and cooperation.

Emphasising that human resources are central to science and technology development, he reaffirmed the State offers special incentives to attract top experts and skilled professionals to create new economic drivers and enhance national resilience and pride. He urged the Vietnamese community in the UK to preserve and promote national culture, particularly by maintaining Vietnamese language teaching for younger generations.

The Party leader encouraged Vietnamese students in the UK to continue studying diligently, achieving excellence, contributing to local communities, and maintaining ties with the homeland, affirming that the State always welcomes their return to serve the nation.

On this occasion, General Secretary Tô Lâm and his spouse, Ngô Phương Ly, presented the embassy and the community with meaningful gifts from the homeland, including sets of Vietnamese-language books for children and Vietnamese classes, to help younger generations better understand the nation’s proud history and cultural heritage, thereby deepening their bonds with the homeland. VNA/VNS