Vietnamese Consul General in Kunming Hoang Minh Son emphasized the important significance of this visit by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, including creating a strong impetus to promote cooperation between localities of Vietnam and China. According to him, Yunnan province is a key locality in Southwest China with a population of more than 48 million people. Yunnan also has a deep and close relationship with Vietnam.

“Kunming City has just entered winter, but the Prime Minister's arrival brings the affection of the Party and State, making us feel warmer,” said Mr. Pham Gia Duc, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Kunming.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Thanh Giang)

According to Mr. Duc, the overseas Vietnamese in Yunnan are now the fourth generation. The first and second generations are mostly the elders who came to Yunnan during the French colonial period along the Hanoi-Kunming railway, working on the railway and other jobs. As for him, he is the third generation, the majority generation of overseas Vietnamese in Yunnan.

“Vietnamese people in Kunming work on the railway and in other jobs. Most of us are retired workers, receive pensions, have stable lives, and always follow and look towards the Fatherland,” said Mr. Duc.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presents souvenirs to representatives of the overseas Vietnamese community in Yunnan. (Photo: Thanh Giang)

Speaking at the meeting, the Prime Minister warmly greeted the community, stating that Kunming is a place with “mountains next to mountains, rivers next to rivers”, very close to Vietnam. According to the Prime Minister, the neighborly relationship between Yunnan province and 4 provinces of Vietnam (Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Ha Giang) is very good. This tradition has its roots long ago - when the railway connecting Vietnam to Kunming began, there was an exchange between the two peoples.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presents souvenirs to the Vietnamese Embassy in China. (Photo: Thanh Giang)

The Prime Minister emphasized that the connection between the two peoples and two economies between Vietnam and China started with the railway. Many Vietnamese people followed this route to Yunnan and then lived, did business and developed here.

“Saying this shows the importance of this railway line, it was the initial bridge and has so far connected four generations of Vietnamese people here,” the Prime Minister shared.

Emphasizing that the place name Kunming is very meaningful to Vietnam, the Prime Minister said that it is even more meaningful now that the two countries are realizing the construction of the Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future, which has strategic significance, to bring common benefits to the two peoples and two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with Vietnamese students studying in Kunming. (Photo: Thanh Giang)

Referring to the saying “selling distant brothers, buying close neighbors”, the Prime Minister reminded that it is necessary to always preserve, nurture, strengthen, consolidate, and promote the development of friendship and neighborliness between Vietnam and China. The Prime Minister affirmed that promoting the Vietnam-China relationship is an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority.

Vietnamese community members and students in Kunming attended the meeting. (Photo: Thanh Giang)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that he had just visited the Ho Chi Minh historical site in Kunming - where Uncle Ho used to carry out revolutionary activities - to see the close bond and the Vietnam-China relationship as a shared friendship, both as comrades and brothers.

“This summary of Uncle Ho is still valuable today, and we need to preserve and promote it. Each historical period has its own characteristics, but the Vietnam-China friendship must always be preserved, consolidated, enhanced and better promoted,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Informing the community about the country's socio-economic situation in all aspects, the Prime Minister hoped that the community would always be united, respect local laws and develop well. The Prime Minister also noted that the representative agencies here take care of and have many measures to care for the community and consider the community as their own relatives in the family to wholeheartedly resolve the work.