Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse met with the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Poland on January 16 evening (local time) as part of his official visit to the European country.

Recalling the history and tradition of the good relationship between the two countries, as well as the efforts made by the embassy and the Vietnamese community in Poland to nurture this bond, Vietnamese Ambassador Ha Hoang Hai said that the Vietnamese community in Poland has a long-standing tradition of solidarity, economic stability, and deep integration, and they always look towards the homeland, and contribute significantly to the host country and bilateral relations.

According to the diplomat, currently, the Vietnamese community in Poland consists of approximately 25,000 people, primarily engaged in trade and services. Notably, many individuals have achieved successes in various fields, including seven scientists who have been awarded the title of national professor in disciplines such as physics, microbiology, information technology, and artificial intelligence. Others have excelled in music and the arts, with some even participating in local administrations. Additionally, Vietnamese language schools continue to be maintained in the European nation.

At the meeting, overseas Vietnamese in Poland expressed their joy in welcoming PM Chinh and his spouse to Poland. They thanked for the attention and support of the Party, State, and the Government toward Vietnamese expats, particularly those in Poland. They also shared their pride and happiness for the remarkable progress of the nation.

They expressed their hope that the Party and State will continue to provide greater support by enabling more people of Vietnamese origin to regain Vietnamese citizenship; issuing identity cards for OVs; and making Vietnamese a foreign language in Polish schools. They also called for organising more large-scale cultural events to promote the image of Vietnam and its people in Poland, urging the Polish government to recognise the Vietnamese community as the European country's 10th minority ethnic group, and establishing direct Vietnam–Poland flights to facilitate trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, and more efforts to promote deeper integration of Vietnam with Poland and the world in fields such as science and culture.

PM Chinh expressed his delight at visiting Poland, carrying the mission and message of promoting the upgrade of bilateral relations. He praised Poland as the homeland of great figures such as astronomer Copernicus, physicist and chemist Marie Curie, and composer Chopin, as well as a beautiful country with a rich culture and warm hospitality. He also noted the heartfelt and sincere affection shown by the Polish people and the Vietnamese community in Poland toward the delegation.

He affirmed that, despite the changing world, the friendship between the two countries and their people remains unwavering and continues to develop more comprehensively and effectively.

Even in challenging and complicated circumstances, with numerous negative impacts, the two nations have found the best path to come together, building upon the strong and lasting foundation of their traditional relationship, as a result, the Vietnam–Poland relationship will forever flourish and be enduring, he stated.

Conveying warm greetings and best wishes from leaders of the Party and State to the Vietnamese community in Poland, PM Chinh expressed his pride in the development and strength of the community. He also extended his deep gratitude to OVs in Poland for their contributions in building the homeland, and fostering the relations between the two countries.

Addressing various proposals of the Vietnamese community, the Government leader said he will direct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and competent agencies to review nationality-related regulations. He also laid stress on the cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese Embassy, and authorised agencies of Poland to promote the teaching of Vietnamese language as a foreign language at Polish schools.

PM Chinh urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance to consider increasing regular funding for the Vietnamese community’s activities and cultural events abroad.

PM Chinh said during his discussions with Polish President Andrzej Duda and PM Donald Tusk, he called for recognition of the Vietnamese community as an ethnic minority group of Poland, encouraging both expatriates and the Embassy to actively pursue the initiative.

He revealed that the Polish leaders affirmed their commitments to soon ratifying the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, assuring that Poland will not be the last country to do so.

PM Chinh also urged the Ministry of Public Security and relevant sides to address identification card-related issues while asking the community to continue providing specific feedback for resolution.

Regarding economic cooperation, he encouraged detailed discussions at the Vietnam – Poland business forum on January 18.

He assigned the Ministry of Science and Technology to study and revise regulations supporting scientific research projects, including those conducted by overseas Vietnamese, to leverage intellectual resources for national development.

Expressing his particular enthusiasm for enhancing cultural cooperation between the two nations, PM Chinh underscored culture as the cornerstone of national identity and a driving force for development during the era of the nation’s rise. He noted Poland's rich cultural talents and products while directing the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to strengthen collaboration with the Polish sides in the field, including scholarship programmes.

He went on to ask the embassy to serve as a bridge to connect and bolster the bilateral ties while maintaining close relations with the Vietnamese community, an indispensable part of the nation, during challenging times, and facilitating community connections to build a better life.

PM Chinh also talked with Polish citizens who have maintained sentiments and strong connections with Vietnam, including Franciszek Zwierzynski, who participated in the ceasefire commission in Vietnam, and Ho Chi Dung, a son of Stefan Kubiak, a Polish soldier who quitted the French army to join the Vietnamese army and was named Ho Chi Toan by President Ho Chi Minh./.