The remarkable achievements recorded 2006 which was considered a successful year for Vietnam’s foreign affairs have been giving overseas Vietnamese a strong sense of pride. The following interview was conducted by a Voice of Vietnam Radio reporter with Chu Tuan Cap, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan.
Reporter: Could you say something about the lives of the Vietnamese community in Japan?
Mr Cap: There are around 20,000 Vietnamese nationals living in Japan. Despite being far from home, they always turn their hearts towards the homeland with great patriotism and national pride. Many of them have made enormous efforts and material contributions to the national construction and defense. They have engaged in various social activities such as donating money in support of funds for the poor and people in areas hit by natural disaster, launching sports activities, giving artistic performances and celebrating major national anniversaries, including Vietnam’s National Day, September 2. In addition, many Vietnamese language teaching classes for children of next generations are opening with the aim of preserving national cultural identity. Such activities have encouraged overseas Vietnamese to uphold national traditions while creating a positive image of the Vietnamese community in the eyes of Japanese people.
Many Vietnamese nationals have now participated in overseas Vietnamese’s associations and contributed their opinions to the country’s economic, scientific and technological fields. In recent years, there have been more and more overseas Vietnamese returning to the homeland to do business and take part in social activities.
Reporter: 2006 witnessed many important events such as the 14th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, Vietnam’s entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). How did these events affect Vietnamese nationals in Japan?
Mr Cap: The remarkable achievements recorded 2006 which was considered a successful year for Vietnam’s foreign affairs have been giving overseas Vietnamese a strong sense of pride. Many Vietnamese entrepreneurs abroad have regarded Vietnam as a great potential market with 80 million people, capable of attracting huge investment from foreign investors and overseas Vietnamese. On the other hand, Vietnam is a new market with untapped potential areas. Its open-door policies and admission to the WTO will create favourable conditions for foreign investors and overseas Vietnamese to do business and invest in the country. As many as 1,700 Vietnamese students are currently studying or taking up postgraduate study in Japan to acquire skills in the field of high technology. I hope that with hearts towards Vietnam and elation at its remarkable achievements, they will get ready to extend the knowledge they gained in Japan to serve the homeland.
Reporter: Serving as a bridge between people at home and abroad, what activities has the Vietnamese Embassy launched to tighten relations between Vietnam and Japan?
Mr Cap: As an agency representing the Vietnamese Party and State in Japan, we are very interested in foreign affairs with a focus on promoting the image of Vietnam in Japan and coordinating activities inside and outside the country. Relations between Vietnam and Japan have entered a new period towards the goal of boosting strategic partnership for the sake of peace and prosperity in Asia. Therefore, the two countries have carried out many strategically cooperative projects. For instance, Vietnam has cooperated with Japan to build a North-South railway linking Hanoi with HCM City. Once completed, it will take people between 6-8 hours to travel from Hanoi to HCM City. The Hoa Lac hi-tech zone is also a typical example of such cooperation, through which we can learn a wealth of valuable experience in applying high technology from Japan. Apart from this, diverse activities have been held to help overseas Vietnamese better understand and observe laws as well as, stabilise their lives in the new country. As relations between the two countries are developing well, Vietnamese nationals in Japan wish to make greater contributions to the development of the homeland.
Reporter: The Lunar New Year Festival (Tet) is drawing near. What has the Embassy made in order to celebrate the traditional holiday of Vietnam?
Mr Cap: Tet is of great significance to all overseas Vietnamese. Every year, the Vietnam Embassy organises a meeting for the Vietnamese community in Japan to celebrate Tet according to traditional customs with square cakes, peach blossoms, pork pies and sausages and other activities such as folk song and dance performances. Many Overseas Vietnamese in Japan come to share the warm feeling about Tet at the Embassy in Tokyo which is considered a common house for them to turn their hearts to the homeland. The celebration of Tet each year helps to bring them ever closer to the country.
Reporter: Thank you very much.
