According to Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the European Union (EU), Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao, the Vietnamese community in Belgium was formed in 1960s and currently has around 13,000 people, most of whom are intellectuals who have succeed in their careers, integrated well into the community, and maintained their own identity.
In addition to promoting the image, culture, and people of Vietnam in the host country, the Vietnamese community in Belgium also actively looking towards the homeland through fundraising activities to support victims of flooding, other natural disasters, and Agent Orange, as well as joining hands in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Pham Huy Hoang, chairman of the young Vietnamese intellectuals’ network in Europe, many of them are knowledgeable in key fields, especially in those that Vietnam has high demand for, such as innovation, digital transformation, green economy, and circular economy. He called for financial support for his network and other similar networks so that they can operate effectively and take advantage of this intellectual resource for national construction.
Meanwhile, Hoang Dinh Thang, president of the Union of Vietnamese in Europe, said that as the EU is an important partner of Vietnam, more exchange and cultural activities should be taken to strengthen relations and promote the country's image in the EU.
Speaking at the meeting, PM Chinh hailed the Vietnamese community in Belgium for their contributions to the host country as well as to Vietnam-Belgium relations, and asked the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium and other agencies to further support overseas Vietnamese in overcoming difficulties and challenges.
The PM emphasised that most of the near 5 million overseas Vietnamese living and working in 130 countries around the world are successful, asserting their position and gaining positive assessments from local authorities. He described this as priceless asset and source of great pride for the Vietnamese nation.
