Pretoria (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation met with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy, and members of the Vietnamese community in South Africa on November 21 afternoon (local time) as part of their ongoing trip to the country for the G20 Summit and bilateral activities.
Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Hoang Sy Cuong told the PM that the community is small, having settled in the country before 1990. Their lives are broadly stable, and despite the absence of major enterprises, they remain connected to the homeland.
He called for greater attention to Africa and South Africa in particular, and efforts to tap new markets, strengthen cooperation frameworks and boost business connectivity.
Le Hoai Nam, head of the Liaison Committee of the Vietnamese Community in South Africa, said that although the community is small, Vietnamese people in South Africa take pride in their heritage, remain deeply attached to their homeland, and are pleased with Vietnam’s strong development. They actively participate in activities that foster links with their home country and help strengthen the friendship between Vietnam and South Africa, he added.
Welcoming the recent progress in bilateral relations, community members raised several proposals relating to legal status, facilitation of visas and employment for Vietnamese nationals in South Africa, access to online public services for those living far from the homeland, the organisation of community events, and Vietnamese language teaching for children through both online and in-person formats to help preserve cultural identity. They also suggested continued attention to community affairs in remote and challenging areas.
They also highlighted the role of overseas intellectuals in science, technology and innovation, and recommended enhancing cooperation in education and research.
PM Chinh underlined that Vietnam–South Africa relations are rooted in long-standing traditional friendship, especially during Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation and reunification, and South Africa’s fight against apartheid and for democracy, prosperity and well-being for its people. Exchanges between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the African National Congress date back to the 1955 Asian–African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia.
Today, South Africa is Vietnam’s largest trading partner in Africa, though economic ties still fall short of potential. Both sides must pursue deeper, more effective and mutually beneficial cooperation, he stated.
The PM told participants that during this visit, the two countries’ leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership, and committed to enhancing cooperation and investment in priority fields such as agriculture, minerals, clean energy, oil and gas exploration and petrochemicals, while promoting two-way trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
Updating the community on domestic developments, PM Chinh said preparations are under way for the 14th National Party Congress, which will shape a new development era. Vietnam is advancing institutional reform, cutting administrative procedures, attracting talent, developing human resources and strategic infrastructure, and maintaining macro-economic stability while pursuing strong growth — targeting at least 8% in 2025 and double-digit expansion in subsequent years — based on science, technology and digital transformation.
He especially shared information about severe natural disasters and flooding in Vietnam, stressing the country’s commitment to social welfare with the spirit that “no one is left behind”. He called for the support of the community in disaster relief efforts.
He noted that the overseas Vietnamese community has been growing in both size and geographical reach, with around 6 million in over 130 countries and territories, including some 4.3 million permanent residents and 600,000 experts and intellectuals.
Acknowledging and commending the contributions of Vietnamese communities worldwide, including in South Africa, to the nation’s achievements, the Government leader affirmed that the Party and State consistently attach great importance to overseas Vietnamese and regard them as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation.
He noted that policies to support them have been incorporated into major laws, including those on land, identity, real estate business, nationality and science and technology, with new measures aimed at facilitating their return and enabling the community to “shine”.
He instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassy and representative offices to strengthen citizen protection, remain proactive and responsive, maintain open communication channels, including 24/7 support, and help translate high-level agreements into concrete programmes.
He added that, in his meetings with South African leaders, he proposed that the host country continue supporting and creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese nationals to live and work stably and integrate into South African society, including through residency and labour policies.
The PM expressed hope that the Vietnamese community in South Africa will continue to grow, remain united, integrate well into the local society, respect local laws, preserve Vietnam’s image and reputation, maintain Vietnamese culture and language, and act as a bridge for friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and South Africa. He encouraged community members to be self-reliant and, when able, contribute to national development and bilateral relations./.
