Overseas Vietnamese honoured for contributions to homeland’s COVID-19 combat  (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Hanoi (VNA)  - Overseas Vietnamese (OV) who have made great contributions to the home country's COVID-19 fight and development, were honoured in a meeting on January 22 within the framework of the annual “Xuan Que Huong” (Homeland Spring) programme 2022.

Addressing the event, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu, who is head of the Foreign Ministry’s State Committee for OV Affairs, said that this is a special and meaningful occasion to look back on a challenging 2021, and express gratitude to individuals and organizations who have supported and accompanied the country to overcome difficulties in recent years.

Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu speaks at the meeting (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Accordingly, OVs in many countries had engaged in practical activities to help the homeland. They have donated up to 80 billion VND (over 3.5 million USD) to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in general and the COVID-19 vaccine fund in particular, along with large amounts of medical equipment and supplies.

Many Vietnamese expatriates in Singapore, Australia, Japan, Germany, the US, and the Republic of Korea have actively worked along Vietnamese representative agencies abroad in calling for assistance from their host countries' governments, opening up many opportunities for Vietnam to access vaccines, medicines and medical equipment and supplies for COVID-19 prevention.

Besides active contributions to Vietnam’s vaccine diplomacy, overseas Vietnamese organizations and networks of entrepreneurs, intellectuals, youth and students had kept effective connections with the homeland, contributing to the nation’s socio-economic development, Hieu said.

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Do Van Chien said the Party and State hold the consistent view that the overseas Vietnamese community is an integral part and an important resource of the nation.

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Do Van Chien speaks at the meeting (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

He thanked Vietnamese expatriates for their contributions to the country’s development, and the pandemic prevention and control work in particular, saying that joint efforts of people from all classes in the society, especially timely support of OVs around the world, have enabled Vietnam to achieve positive results in the vaccination drive against COVID-19.

On the occasion, 33 organizations and  45 individuals were presented certificates of merit of the VFF Central Committee for their contributions to the OV affairs and to consolidating the great national unity bloc.

In the morning the same day , Vi♔ce Chairman of the VFF Central Committee Phung Khanh Tai and a delegation of Vietnamese expats paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum and visited his stilt house. They offered incense at the ancient Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and laid wreaths at the monument to heroes and war martyrs in Hanoi. /.