Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his spouse meet with staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and members of the Vietnamese community in France on Tuesday evening.—VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

PARIS — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his spouse met with staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and members of the Vietnamese community in France on Tuesday evening as part of the PM's trip to France for the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) and bilateral activities.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Đinh Toàn Thắng reported that the Vietnamese community in France currently numbers over 300,000, with some 100 associations, nearly 50,000 intellectuals and thousands of businesspeople.

At the meeting, overseas Vietnamese expressed pride in Việt Nam’s socio-economic achievements, international integration, and growing global profile. They highlighted their efforts to preserve cultural traditions, contribute to national development through knowledge transfer and cooperation, and serve as a bridge of friendship between Việt Nam and France.

PM Chính expressed appreciation for the community’s sincere sentiments and strong development. He reaffirmed that the Party and State regard overseas Vietnamese as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation.

Sharing insights on the global and domestic landscape, the PM said Việt Nam’s development rests on three main pillars - building a socialist democracy, a socialist rule-of-law state, and a socialist-oriented market economy under State management.

He noted that the country, once war-torn and under embargo with a GDP of just US$4 billion, Việt Nam grew strongly into an economy worth over $470 billion in 2024, with a projected figure of $510 billion in 2025. Per capita income rose from just over $100 to more than $4,700 today. At the same time, the country has safeguarded its territorial integrity, improved people’s wellbeing, and raised its happiness index.

Major infrastructure projects, including expressways, airports, high-speed rail, and social housing, are being rolled out nationwide.

Stressing that Việt Nam has never enjoyed such strong potential, position and international prestige as it does today, the Government leader acknowledged the vital contributions of the six-million OV community to this success.

He stated Việt Nam is aiming to become a developing nation with upper-middle income by 2030, and a high-income developed country by 2045. The Government is accelerating a "revolution" in the restructuring of the political system’s organisational apparatus and development of a two-level administrative model, transitioning from passive to proactive governance to better serve citizens and businesses, while focusing on promoting science, technology and innovation; reforming legal and law enforcement frameworks; deepening international integration; and advancing private sector development.

He called on overseas Vietnamese, particularly those in France, to contribute to the nation’s journey towards prosperity, modernity and sustainability.

He also highlighted the Party and State’s continued efforts to increase support for OVs. In recent years, policies have become more open and facilitative, covering areas such as land ownership, housing, visas, nationality and employment.

In response to suggestions and concerns raised during the meeting, PM Chính, in the spirit of “listening, understanding, and learning,” encouraged the community to further contribute to national development. He urged Vietnamese in France to strengthen unity, support one another, promote cultural heritage, and play an active role in enhancing Việt Nam–France relations in a practical and effective way. — VNA/VNS