Sydney, December 20 (VNA) – Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Le Thi Thu Hang had a working visit to learn about the Vietnamese community in Melbourne from December 18-19 as part of her working visit to Australia.

During the visit, Hang and her entourage also held meetings with Melbourne Mayor Nicholas Reece, President of the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Association Kim Samson, and representatives of the Vietnamese Business Association in Australia (VBAA).

Meeting with Mayor Reece, Hang highlighted Vietnam's efforts to become a symbol of peace, stability, and hospitality, an attractive destination for international investors and tourists. Vietnam ranks among the top 40 largest economies and top 20 trading nations, playing a pivotal role in 16 free trade agreements connecting with 60 major economies in the region and the world.

She emphasised Vietnam's goal of becoming a high-income developed country, making more contributions to regional and global peace, stability, and development.

She said that in the joint statement on the elevation of ties between Vietnam and Australia to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two countries' leaders recognised the critical contributions of the Vietnamese Australian community in fostering people-to-people exchange and economic cooperation - a foundation for bilateral diplomacy.

She expressed gratitude to Australian authorities and people, especially those in Melbourne, for their support and facilitation for the Vietnamese community's education, investment, work, and living in Australia.

Mayor Reece affirmed the positive contributions of the Vietnamese community in Melbourne. He said the city authority will continue support Vietnamese students and investors, and create favourable condition for the growth of the Vietnamese community in Melbourne.

Also at the working session, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam and representatives from the VBAA and leaders of Melbourne’s investment, development, and cooperation agencies discussed their ongoing and future cooperation projects in Melbourne.

At the meeting with the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Association President Kim Samson, Hang applauded his efforts to expand networks and connect the association with Vietnamese organisations in Australia.

She said the government and representative agencies of Vietnam are willing to support and coordinate with the association to implement activities across various fields, and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Visiting the VBAA, the Deputy Minister said that her visit to Australia aims to implement the joint statement and agreements between the two countries' leaders, support overseas Vietnamese in preserving their cultural identity, and strengthen ties with their homeland. She encouraged the Vietnamese community to integrate further into local society while serving as a bridge for enhancing bilateral friendship and people-to-people exchange.

VBAA President Tran Ba Phuc briefed the delegation on the association’s activities and future plans. Established in 2010 with over 500 members, the VBAA has organised meaningful events to connect businesses in Australia and Vietnam. These initiatives include promoting Vietnamese agricultural exports, showcasing Vietnamese products in Australian supermarkets, and fostering economic cooperation between the two nations.

Hang commended the VBAA’s achievements and urged it to leverage its potential in economic, trade, investment, and technological collaboration. She expressed her confidence that the VBAA and the Vietnamese business community in Australia will capitalise on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework to enhance ties, promote cultural exchanges, and preserve the Vietnamese language and cultural identity and good traditions.

Deputy Minister Hang, Ambassador Tam, and VBAA President Phuc inaugurated a Vietnamese bookcase, intended as a hub for community gatherings and cultural preservation. The initiative aims to provide educational resources for children to learn Vietnamese through literature and history.

On this occasion, Hang presented books to outstanding students and attended a ceremony honouring 12 individuals for their significant contributions to the community. She also participated in the launch of the Vietnam-Australia Young Entrepreneurs Association.

During their stay, Hang and her entourage visited Phuoc Hue pagoda in Sydney and Bo De pagoda in Melbourne, which have long been centers for preserving Vietnamese cultural and spiritual values, particularly through traditional festivals.

The Vietnamese community in Australia numbers approximately 375,000 people. ✃Of them, about 100,000 reside in Victoria state, primarily in Melbourne, contributing significantly to the development and🏅 diversification of local culture./.