Consul General Ninh Thanh Cong speaking at the event (Photo: baoquocte.vn)
Speaking at the event, Consul General of Vietnam to Shanghai Ninh Thanh Cong expressed his deep emotion before the precious feelings and enthusiasm of the overseas Vietnamese, creating an exciting spring atmosphere full of national identity in the foreign country.
The Consul General reviewed Vietnam’s outstanding events in 2018. Although the situation of the world and the region continues to develop fast and complicatedly, under the close leadership and direction of the Party and strong operation of the government, Vietnam has made many important and comprehensive achievements in all fields. Economic growth reached 7.08%, the highest rate over the past 10 years. Vietnam also achieved many successes in foreign relations to improve its position in the international arena and the region.
In terms of Vietnam - China relations, Mr. Cong said that over the past year, the two countries have continued to maintain a positive development trend, regular high-ranking official exchanges and actual cooperation in many fields.
In 2018, the bilateral trade increased 16.5%, exceeding USD120 billion, much larger than the trade turnover between China and many European countries. Vietnam has become China's largest trade and tourism partner in ASEAN, and China's eighth largest trading partner in the world.
The Vietnamese community in Shanghai and neighbouring regions is about 2,000 people, but they are always united and have many activities toward the homeland.
Mr. Cong highly appreciated the feelings and contributions of the Vietnamese community in developing the local community, and hoped that in the coming time they would continue to strengthen promotion of the image of Vietnam to Chinese and international friends, boosting exchange and cooperation with Shanghai and other localities of China, and contributing to building and developing the homeland.
While Mr. Dieu Manh Tuong, representative of the overseas Vietnamese in Shanghai, affirmed that the Vietnamese community in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang will make more efforts to strengthen community solidarity and contribute to the development of a more prosperous Vietnam.
Representative for Vietnamese businesses in the region, Mr. Do Quoc Tuan, from the Vietnam Airlines Branch in China, reviewed achievements Vietnam Airlines gained in developing and exploring the market in China, as well as creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese people in the country. On this occasion, Vietnam Airlines presents two round-trip tickets of Shanghai - Hanoi and Shanghai - Ho Chi Minh city to the Vietnamese community.
At the event, the participants had opportunity to join folk games, watch an art performance by overseas Vietnamese people, students and staff from the Consulate General of Vietnam in Shanghai, and enjoy traditional dishes on the Lunar New Year Festival of Vietnam./.