Vietnamese Consul General Tran Thanh Huan informed attendees of Vietnam’s
socio-economic development as well as diplomatic achievements in 2018, saying
they were significantly contributed to by Vietnamese expatriates worldwide,
including those in Hong Kong.
The Vietnamese Party and Government attach much importance to overseas
Vietnamese’s role in national construction and protection, he said.
He highlighted the Vietnam-Hong Kong ties, saying the two economies have enjoyed
thriving relations over the years, with two-way trade reaching 19.8 billion USD
in 2018, up 9.4 percent from the previous year. Hong Kong is the 6th largest
investor in Vietnam, with 19.3 billion USD in 1,401 projects in the Southeast
Asian country.
The two sides joined hands to organise various economic-trade activities, and
worked to handle immigration issues, he said, adding that Hong Kong has exempted
Vietnamese diplomatic and official passport holders from visa requirements, and
will consider providing more favourable conditions to grant visas to Vietnamese
visitors.
Earlier, the Vietnamese Consulate General held a similar celebration in Macau
Special Administrative Region on January 19, during which Huan highlighted the
Vietnamese expats’ contributions to building their homeland into a more
prosperous nation.
At the celebrations, Huan presented certificates of merit to individual,
honouring their efforts to develop the Vietnamese communities in the Hong Kong
and Macau.
Art performances to welcome Tet were delivered on the occasion.
Source: VNA