Vietnam Supports Expatriates in Poland to Overcome Difficulties

Vietnamese Ambassador to Poland Nguyen Hung, representatives Vietnamese Association in Poland, associations of intellectuals, businessmen, youth, students, and a large number of expatriates also attended the meeting.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Head of State for Overseas Vietnamese Pham Quang Hieu spoke at the meeting and exchange with the Vietnamese community in Poland.

At the meeting, representatives of Vietnamese associations and delegations in Poland talked about their difficulties and proposed aspirations of reverting to Vietnamese nationality while still retaining their foreign citizenship policies, the preservation, and promotion of the Vietnamese language in the younger generation of overseas Vietnamese, and the incentives for officials working in unions.

Awarding certificates of merit to individuals and groups with achievements in national unity and the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic. Photo: Vietnamtimes

During this event, the Deputy Minister highly appreciated the efforts of the Vietnamese community in Poland and its associations. He also emphasized that the Party and State always pay attention to, care for, and support overseas Vietnamese.

Pham Quang Hieu shared that the Committee is actively coordinating with relevant agencies to find solutions to remove obstacles and meet the legitimate aspirations of people.

Commemorative photo of participants. Photo: Vietnamtimes

Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu presented the Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Fatherland Front and the Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese to individuals and groups who have certain achievements in the work of national unity and the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic.

In addition to the meeting with the overseas Vietnamese community in Poland, on August 26, the Commission’s delegation visited the ASG trade center, the Wolka trade area of ​​expatriates in Poland, and worked with the Vietnamese Business Association. There were 30 overseas Vietnamese enterprises in Poland and a number of domestic enterprises at this meeting.

Vietnam Business Association in Poland was established in 2007. This is the first business association in Europe. Vietnamese enterprises in Poland focus on 3 main areas: Trade (import-export, wholesale, and retail); Service (mainly cuisine); and Investment (construction, real estate).

At the meeting, Chairman of the Vietnam Business Association in Poland Hoang Xuan Binh, Chairman of the Union of Vietnamese Business Associations in Europe Hoang Manh Hue, and representatives of businesses in Poland expressed their gratitude for the cooperation, concern, and support of the Party and State for the Vietnamese business community in Europe in general and in Poland in particular.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Head of State for Overseas Vietnamese Pham Quang Hieu worked with the Vietnam Business Association in Poland. Photo: Vietnamtimes

The representatives of these businesses shared some of the difficulties that Vietnamese businesses in Poland, as well as in Europe, are facing, such as the Covid-19 epidemic, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has pushed up import prices of goods. This disrupts the supply chain and causes many difficulties for logistics operations.

The community also shared the fact that the number of goods originating from Vietnam accounts for a rather modest market share among the goods being traded by the community (only about 10-15%) due to uncompetitive prices. Therefore, it is difficult for overseas Vietnamese to find a reliable partner in Vietnam to import goods.

These representatives have also made a number of recommendations, specifically: The Vietnamese government should create policies to support small and enterprises to export to Europe, especially high-quality Vietnamese products such as agricultural and aquatic products, and handicrafts; encourage domestic enterprises to invest abroad through the support of overseas Vietnamese enterprises; strengthen the connection of overseas enterprises with domestic enterprises; build a database system on overseas enterprises, data on export enterprises and potential export products; implementing activities to promote and introduce overseas Vietnamese to the country through fairs and enterprises exhibitions, and take advantage of the opportunities brought by EVFTA.

Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu shared that he sympathizes with the difficulties that businesses are facing. He said that in order to take advantage of the opportunities brought by the EVFTA, businesses need to develop from a Polish mindset to a European mindset and find new, more sustainable, and long-term directions.

Regarding the recommendations and proposals of businesses, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue to exchange and coordinate to solve their problems. The Deputy Minister also suggested that the Vietnam Trade Office in Poland regularly have discussions with businesses to promptly grasp the situation and give feedback to people.

Within the framework of the visit and community work in Poland, the Commission’s delegation visited Nhan Hoa Pagoda and worked with the Vietnamese Buddhist Cultural Center in Poland on August 27.

At Nhan Hoa Pagoda, Abbot Thich Tri Chon and members of the Committee to support the Vietnamese community fleeing from Ukraine shared about the difficult situation when they had to welcome about 500-700 people to temporarily stay at the pagoda. Many refugees were in an unstable mood, sick, and left empty-handed.

On this occasion, representatives of leaders of Vietnamese associations in Poland expressed their deep gratitude for the timely attention and encouragement of the Party, State, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This has further motivated the community to firmly believe and stand with the Party and State in supporting the Vietnamese in Ukraine.

Deputy Minister Pham Quang Hieu led the Commission’s delegation to visit Nhan Hoa Pagoda and work with the Vietnamese Buddhist Cultural Center in Poland. Photo: Vietnamtimes