Excellent students in Australia is granted with certificates of merit at the ceremony in Perth (Photo: VNA)
Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in West Australia (WA), together with local authority and diplomats, gathered at a ceremony in Perth on January 22 to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tet).Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Consul General in Perth Le Viet Duyen highlighted the ebullient activities of the Vietnamese community in WA over the past year, especially those to mark to 40 th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Australia.
The diplomat affirmed the State’s policy that sees overseas Vietnamese as an inseparable part of the nation, adding he hopes the Vietnamese community in WA will maintain the traditional culture and contribute to the development of their homeland.
On behalf of the WA State administration, Senator Paul Miles and Perth’s Deputy Lord Mayor Rob Butler conveyed their best New Years wishes to the Vietnamese community.
The guests spoke highly of the OV’s activities to preserve traditional characters as well as their contribution to the development of the host country, thus helping strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries.
Participants at the ceremony were treated to traditional dances performed by Vietnamese students and typical dishes for Tet such as banh chung (square glutinous rice cake), spring rolls and onion pickle.
In India, the Vietnamese Embassy also hosted a traditional get-together to welcome the new spring.
In his toast, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Nguyen Thanh Tan called 2013 the pinnacle of the bilateral ties between Vietnam and India over the past decade, citing the visits of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and many National Assembly and Government senior officials to India.
Last year, the two countries strengthened cooperation in various fields, particularly trade ties with two-way trade turnover reaching 5.1 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 1 billion USD.
Tan took the opportunity to thanked the Indian Government for its support of Vietnam, while wishing the OVs in India a thriving and successful year ahead.
In Laos, the Vietnamese association in Vientiane on January 23 presented 44 gift packages to poor and underprivileged Vietnamese households in the city to help them have a warm Tet holiday.
VNA
