First Vietnamese-American congressperson visits Vietnam

Published: 05/01/2010 05:00

0

226 views

A group of American congressional representatives, including Vietnamese American congressperson Joseph Cao (Cao Quang Anh), are now on a visit to Vietnam.

Officials of the National Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, the US Ambassador to Vietnam and US congressmen.

Officials of the National Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, the US Ambassador to Vietnam and US congressmen.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son met with Mr. Joseph Cao on January 5 to discuss issues of common concern and debate.

On January 4, Son noted at a press conference that around 500,000 overseas Vietnamese of Viet Kieu will return to Vietnam during Tet (lunar New Year).

According to Son, the recently successful conference of overseas Vietnamese, the biggest so far, has greatly enhanced Vietnam’s sound policy towards Viet Kieu.

Son said that he doesn’t have official statistics of overseas remittances in 2009, but the figure would be a little less than 2008 due to the economic crisis.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son and US congressman Joseph Cao.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son and US congressman Joseph Cao.

He said that the financial crisis affected Viet Kieu in developed countries, but those in Eastern Europe were not affected heavily. “Therefore the volume of overseas remittances in 2009 will fall compared to last year, but not by much,” Son confirmed.

Last year Viet Kieu sent home more than $7 billion.

Son announced that over 300 Viet Kieu will attend a 50th anniversary celebration of President Ho Chi Minh welcoming the first ship to arrive in Hai Phone that brought 992 Viet Kieu from Thailand to Vietnam.

VietNamNet talks with US congressman Joseph Cao:

What is your feeling upon arriving in Vietnam?

I’m very glad to return to Vietnam in this trip. In 2001 I came back to Vietnam. After nine years, Vietnam has developed very much. I hope the Vietnamese and US governments will continue working together.

Though we have differences of opinion, those issues do not mean that we can’t work together.

Many of my aspirations sometimes are not in parallel with that of the Vietnamese government’s policies, but I still hope that we can continue to cooperate and work together.

What is the major goal of the trip?

We plan to visit Hanoi and HCM City to see firsthand the development of Vietnam and to exchange opinions about issues of common concern. But the major goal is visiting and learning about Vietnam.

What is the spirit for exchange between the two sides?

The two sides work and exchange opinions joyfully. Differences of opinion are natural. Through these differences, we can learn and understand more about each other and the two sides will work together for the development of the two countries and our peoples.

Duc Cat - Xuan Linh

Provide by Vietnam Travel

First Vietnamese-American congressperson visits Vietnam - Politics - News |  vietnam travel company

You can see more



enews & updates

Sign up to receive breaking news as well as receive other site updates!

Ads by Adonline