Vietnamese expatriates in Vientiane have raised nearly 7,500 USD to support soldiers and fishermen in the homeland.

A ceremony was held on July 15 to hand over the money for Ambassador Hoang Xuan Hai who said he hopes the overseas Vietnamese will keep the nation’s cultural identities and bridge the Vietnam-Laos special relations.

President of the Association of Vietnamese people Nguyen Van Tu said the expatriates always look towards the country, especially in the current tensions in the East Sea following China’s illegal placement of its oil rig in Vietnam’s waters in early May.-VNA