Vietnamese Prime Minister Meets Vietnamese Community in France
Paris, The Gulf Observer: Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his spouse met with officials of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in France on Tuesday evening, as part of his visit to the country for the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) and bilateral activities.
During the gathering, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Đinh Toàn Thắng reported that the Vietnamese community in France comprises more than 300,000 people, with approximately 100 associations, nearly 50,000 intellectuals, and thousands of businesspeople actively contributing to both host and homeland development.
Representatives of the overseas Vietnamese community expressed their pride in Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements, deepening international integration, and elevated standing on the global stage. They underscored their ongoing efforts to preserve Vietnamese cultural traditions, foster cooperation and knowledge exchange, and serve as a bridge of friendship between Vietnam and France.
Addressing the audience, Prime Minister Chính extended his sincere appreciation for the community’s heartfelt support and robust growth, affirming that the Party and State regard overseas Vietnamese as an inseparable and indispensable part of the Vietnamese nation.
Highlighting the nation’s development trajectory, PM Chính noted that Việt Nam’s progress is firmly grounded in three foundational pillars: building a socialist democracy, a socialist rule-of-law state, and a socialist-oriented market economy under state management. These principles, he said, are guiding Việt Nam’s transformation in a fast-evolving global context.
He reflected on the country’s extraordinary journey from a war-ravaged nation under international embargo with a GDP of only US$4 billion, to an economy exceeding US$470 billion in 2024, with a projected GDP of US$510 billion in 2025. Per capita income has risen from just over US$100 to more than US$4,700 today. Alongside economic growth, the country has maintained sovereignty, improved citizens’ wellbeing, and steadily climbed global happiness and development indices.
PM Chính highlighted major infrastructure projects currently underway, including expressways, international airports, high-speed rail systems, and social housing developments, as signs of the country’s continued progress and ambition.
“Việt Nam has never had such strong potential, strategic position, and international prestige as it does today,” the Prime Minister declared, while acknowledging the significant role that the six-million-strong overseas Vietnamese community has played in this national success.
He reiterated Vietnam’s ambitious goals of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a high-income developed socialist nation by 2045. To achieve these objectives, the Government is spearheading a comprehensive reform agenda, including the restructuring of the political system, the development of a streamlined two-level administrative model, the transition from passive to proactive governance, and the prioritisation of science, technology, and innovation.
PM Chính also underscored efforts to modernise the legal framework, improve law enforcement, strengthen international integration, and promote the development of the private sector as vital components of the nation’s forward path.
Calling on overseas Vietnamese in France to continue their contributions to the homeland, the Prime Minister urged the community to stay united, support one another, preserve and promote Vietnamese cultural identity, and play a proactive role in enhancing the Vietnam–France relationship in a practical, effective, and enduring manner.
He further noted that the Party and State will continue to refine policies in support of overseas Vietnamese, with increasingly open and enabling regulations related to land ownership, housing, visas, nationality, and employment, reflecting the country’s recognition of the diaspora’s significance.
Responding to comments and suggestions raised at the meeting, PM Chính reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to listening, understanding, and learning from its overseas citizens. He encouraged them to serve as ambassadors of Vietnamese culture and innovation abroad and to contribute actively to Vietnam’s aspirations for prosperity, modernity, and sustainability.
