Manila (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President To Lam commended efforts by the Vietnamese community in the Philippines to integrate into the host society and preserve national traditions while meeting with staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the community on May 31, part of his state visit to the archipelagic nation.
The leader praised the community’s contributions to economic and trade ties between Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as the coordinating and supporting role played by its liaison board.
He shared the country’s development priorities and socio-economic policies aimed at sustaining high economic growth, enhancing self-reliance and improving people’s living standards. He also briefed participants on the key outcomes of his recent visits to Thailand and Singapore, noting that Vietnam’s keynote address at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore attracted significant international attention and underscored the country’s increasingly prominent role in regional affairs.
The top leader emphasised that Vietnam has emerged as a dynamic and rapidly growing economy after more than 80 years of national construction and 40 years of Doi moi (Renewal), earning recognition as a responsible and reputable member of the international community.
Regarding bilateral ties, he noted that Vietnam is currently the Philippines’ only strategic partner in Southeast Asia. The two countries are working to expand economic cooperation and raise bilateral trade turnover to 10 billion USD in the near future.
Reaffirming the Party and State’s consistent policy toward overseas Vietnamese (OVs), he stressed that the expatriate community is an inseparable part of the homeland and an important resource for national development.
The Party and State have adopted timely policies to support the community’s development and help OVs secure a stable legal status, stabilise their lives and integrate into local societies. Authorities have also worked to strengthen the great national solidarity while encouraging and creating favourable conditions for OVs to contribute actively to national development and safeguarding.
In recent years, a number of policies have been revised to support them in investing, studying, conducting research, starting businesses, teaching the Vietnamese language, transferring knowledge, and participating in cultural and people-to-people diplomatic activities, he stressed.
General Secretary and President Lam also encouraged the Vietnamese in the Philippines to remain united, abide by local laws, contribute practically to the homeland and continue fostering friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
He asked the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines to further strengthen support for the community, enhance citizen protection efforts and maintain close connections between the expatriates and their homeland.
Ambassador Lai Thai Binh highlighted the significance of the top leader’s visit, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and marks the first official meeting between the two countries’ highest-ranking leaders.
The ambassador noted that the Vietnamese community in the Philippines remains united, hardworking and increasingly active in trade, education and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. They continue to preserve the Vietnamese language and cultural identity while contributing to national development through business and connectivity initiatives.
Representatives of the Vietnamese community reaffirmed their desire to dedicate to the homeland through their professional expertise, social standing and work experience. They also voiced hope that stronger bilateral cooperation will create a more favourable institutional environment for businesses, particularly Vietnamese enterprises operating in the Philippines./.
