Vietnamese nationals in Laos promote solidarity

Vientiane (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy in Laos on December 4 held a conference to look back on the activities of the Vietnamese community in 2018 and devise an operation plan for 2019.

The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Ba Hung, representatives from the Consulate Generals of Vietnam in North, Central and South Laos, Vietnamese people and Vietnamese investors in the host country.

According to Bui Chi Manh, an official from the embassy, overseas Vietnamese in the country enjoyed stable lives in the past year, respected regulations and had sound relations with the host nation.

He highlighted the active performance of the Vietnamese people associations at the grassroots level, including granting membership and supporting Vietnamese in legal procedures to get residence papers and work permits.

Vietnamese language teaching was a focus, with teachers assigned by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to work at Vietnamese schools in Laos.

In 2018, Vietnamese nationals organised a ceremony to mark late President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday in Khammuon province while working with their compatriots in Thailand to hold the same event in Thailand’s northwestern province of Udonthani. The activities helped the Vietnamese community strengthen solidarity, Manh said.

He pointed out some shortcomings in the associations’ operations such as failing to fully serve as a representative to protect and assist its members and labourers, loose coordination in several activities and having unspecified working regulations.

Touching on plans for 2019, Manh suggested further implementating the Politburo’s Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW on overseas Vietnamese from 2016 to 2020.

The Vietnamese Embassy, the Consulate Generals of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people associations should enhance cooperation with authorities in Laos and Vietnamese border localities to raise awareness of Vietnamese workers about the custom, law and culture of the neighbouring country.-VNA