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National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (L) is welcomed by the Vietnamese community in Kazan (Photo: VNA)

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met with the Vietnamese community in Kazan, the Republic of Tatarstan, at the House of Peoples’ Friendship on December 8 (local time).

The event was also attended by Chairman of the State Council (parliament) of Tatarstan Farid Khayrullovich Mukhametshin, who told his guest that the House of Peoples’ Friendship is used by all communities in Tatarstan to exchange and strengthen friendship, while maintaining their cultural identities. Each community has their own space at the house, he said.

There are about 1,000 Vietnamese people living in Kazan, along with 96 students. The Vietnamese Association in Kazan, which was established in 2002, has held various activities to foster solidarity among the community and promote Vietnamese culture, including sporting events and regular Vietnamese language courses for children.

At the meeting, representatives of the community expressed their hope for support to improve the quality of the Vietnamese courses, thus helping to maintain their national cultural identity.

The Vietnamese students also asked for favourable conditions to return home to work after graduation.

Addressing the meeting, the NA leader said that Vietnam considers the development of ties with Russia a priority in its external policy.

She noted that Vietnam-Russia relations aregrowing with a high level of mutual trust, along with sound economic, trade, investment, security-defence and education-training partnerships.

Ngan said her visit aims to bring the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height.

Regarding the East Sea issue, she said that the Party and State have a consistent policy of resolutely and persistently protecting the country’s seas and islands, and dealing with disputes at sea through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

She lauded the solidarity and mutual support of the Vietnamese community in Kazan, showing her delight that the community has a space at the House of People’s Friendship.

Underlining that the Vietnamese community abroad is an inseparable part of the nation, the top legislator hopedthe community in Kazan will continue helping foster all-round ties between Vietnam and Tatarstan and contribute to the development of the homeland.

Responding to the community’s proposals, she asked the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia as well as authorized agencies at home to support the teaching of Vietnamese to Vietnamese children.

She highlighted the Party and State’s policy of welcoming Vietnamese students home after studying overseas to contribute to national construction./.

VNA