Lê Đức Hạnh, Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong and Macao (China) and Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region celebrate the 81st anniversary of Việt Nam's National Day in Hong Kong (China) on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Vịnh

HONG KONG — The Consulate General of Việt Nam in Hong Kong and Macao (China) held a ceremony on Tuesday to mark the 81st anniversary of the Southeast Asian country’s National Day (September 2, 1945-2026).

Reviewing Việt Nam’s remarkable 81-year journey, Vietnamese Consul General Lê Đức Hạnh highlighted its extraordinary transformation from a nation that endured prolonged wars and hardship into a dynamic middle-income economy deeply integrated into global markets.

This progress has been underpinned by strong economic growth and new drivers of development, including science and technology, digital transformation, institutional reform, investment in strategic infrastructure, the strengthening of the private sector and deeper international integration, she said.

Hạnh affirmed that Việt Nam-China relations have entered a new stage following General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm’s state visit to China in April, which further deepened the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and advanced efforts to build a Việt Nam-China community with a shared future of strategic significance.

Against this broader backdrop, Việt Nam and Hong Kong (China) have forged distinctive ties, rooted in history and strengthened through substantive cooperation.

Việt Nam is currently Hong Kong’s third-largest trading partner in goods worldwide and has consistently supported Hong Kong’s accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), as well as its deeper economic integration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Hong Kong businesses have for years been prominent investors in Việt Nam. Since late 2025, an increasing number of Vietnamese businesses have also expanded their presence in Hong Kong, reflecting growing synergies between the two economies.

She affirmed that the Vietnamese Government and the Consulate General would continue to accompany and support businesses from both sides in forging connections and tapping the potential of the markets of Việt Nam, Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, extended his best wishes to the Vietnamese people on the occasion, while praising Việt Nam’s competitive manufacturing base and robust economic development over recent decades.

He welcomed the remarkable growth in bilateral economic ties, noting that Việt Nam is now Hong Kong’s largest trading partner within ASEAN. The rise in bilateral merchandise trade over the past five years reflects the deep complementarity between the two economies, as well as the vitality of regional supply and production networks in which both Hong Kong and Việt Nam play indispensable roles.

As an international financial centre and a gateway to the GBA, Hong Kong stands ready to support Việt Nam in infrastructure financing, green finance and professional services.

Chan also praised the contributions of the Vietnamese community in Hong Kong, particularly prominent intellectuals and artists, and expressed his hope for stronger cultural and tourism exchanges, as well as closer multilateral cooperation at forums such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Sharing her feelings about attending the National Day celebration, Angel Kwok, representing the younger generation of Vietnamese in Hong Kong, expressed her joy and pride in having Vietnamese heritage. She said that before attending the event, her mother had told her many meaningful stories about Vietnam’s history and cultural traditions.

Liu Yuwei, a businessman from Macao (China), spoke highly of Việt Nam’s development potential and expressed his hope to expand economic and trade cooperation in the coming years, helping strengthen connectivity between Hong Kong, Macao and Việt Nam.

As part of the ceremony, delegates and international guests enjoyed a special artistic programme showcasing Việt Nam’s rich cultural heritage, as well as traditional Vietnamese dishes such as pho and spring rolls prepared by culinary artisans who had travelled from Việt Nam for the occasion. — VNA/VNS