Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Cao Tran Quoc Hai (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel on February 11 held a get-together in Tel Aviv for overseas Vietnamese in the country to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival 2018.
Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador Cao Tran Quoc Hai updated participants on Vietnam’s achievements in 2017, noting that the country has continued to develop, ensured national security-defence and social order and promoted international integration.
He also highlighted the development of the Vietnam-Israel relationship, which has been deepened in a practical manner.
Israel is one of Vietnam’s most important economic partners in the Middle East, with two-way trade exceeding 1 billion USD, he said, adding that the two countries have been conducting negotiations for a free trade deal which is hoped to help lift their trade to 3 billion USD.
During his speech, Ambassador Hai also praised the unity among the Vietnamese community in Israel, and their contributions to the homeland’s development.
The same day, a similar event was held in Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK), offering a chance for Vietnamese expats to gather and welcome Tet.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Nguyen Vu Tu wished overseas Vietnamese and international friends a successful and happy New Year, hoping that they will make more contributions to Vietnam-RoK relations.
He also lauded efforts made by the Vietnamese community in the RoK in promoting and preserving national cultural identities, as well as in raising funds to support disaster victims in the homeland.
Honourary Mayor of Seoul and Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Association in the RoK Nguyen Thi Ngoc Cam applauded the active involvement of the expats in the organisation’s activities, and thanked the local authorities for their support.
She called on Vietnamese expats to make more efforts to preserve national identity and join in charitable movements to support others in difficult circumstances.-VNA
VNA
