During the visit to New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the southwest Pacific, the delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, led by Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang, Chairwoman of the Committee, met and interacted with the Vietnamese community.

On February 14, at a meeting with the Executive Committee of the Vietnam - New Caledonia Friendship Association at the Association's headquarters, Chairman Patrick Guillon reported to the delegation on the history of the formation and situation of the Vietnamese community in the locality, as well as the organization and activities of the Association. Accordingly, the Vietnamese community in New Caledonia has a history of formation since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the majority initially being prisoners exiled by the French government, followed by miners and "chan dang" (people who voluntarily registered to work). Thanks to their intelligence, diligence and efforts to improve themselves, the community now has about 5,000 people living mainly on business, quite successful and economically equal. The people have a spirit of mutual love and solidarity, have close relationships with their families and relatives in the country and participate in many humanitarian activities towards their homeland.

The Vietnam - New Caledonia Friendship Association was established in 1974, mainly gathering Vietnamese people who were born and settled here from the past until now, and is highly supported by the local government. Every year, the Association strives to organize various activities to unite the community, integrate, develop, turn towards the homeland and maintain and promote the cultural identity of the community such as traditional Tet, cultural and sports activities, Vietnamese language classes for young people and the elderly...

Visiting and learning about the community's living conditions, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang expressed her joy at seeing that the people had integrated well, the community obeyed the law, lived in harmony and friendliness with local people, and contributed to the socio-economic development of the locality.

The Deputy Minister highly appreciated the important role of the Vietnam - New Caledonia Friendship Association in strengthening the solidarity of the Vietnamese community here, contributing to promoting our compatriots to help and support each other in life and have many meaningful and practical activities towards the homeland; hoping that people will continue to make efforts to build a more united, strong community with a richer cultural identity.

Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese are always ready to support people in issues related to their legitimate rights and interests as well as community activities, preserving traditional culture, teaching and learning Vietnamese, etc.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang shared his joy at the solidarity and growth of the community, hoping that the community will continue to have outstanding individuals to lead the Association, unite the community and support the work of representative agencies as well as domestic agencies.

Vietnamese Consul General in Sydney, Australia Nguyen Thanh Tung said that the Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney will support and create maximum conditions for Vietnamese people in consular work, issues related to Vietnamese passports and visas, and protect their legitimate rights.

Immediately after the meeting with the Executive Committee of the Association, the delegation had a warm meeting with about 200 overseas Vietnamese at the Vietnam House. On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang sent the people her warmest greetings and warmest feelings from home.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that Vietnamese people in New Caledonia are truly "ambassadors" of Vietnam in the host country, hoping that they will try to preserve traditional culture and the Vietnamese language, and maintain a good image for the people of New Caledonia.

On this occasion, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang and the delegation laid flowers at Chan Dang Monument, visited the Vietnamese quarter, visited and presented gifts to Nam Hai Pho Da Pagoda, inaugurated the Vietnamese Bookshelf for the community and attended the ceremony to award French teaching certificates to a number of overseas Vietnamese in New Caledonia.

Some pictures: