Vietnamese people in Macau (China) celebrate the 48th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification - Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of the Liaison Board of the Association of Vietnamese people in Hong Kong, Dung said that this meeting is of significance as the community is undertaking procedures towards the official establishment of the Vietnamese Association in Hong Kong.

Lawyer Doan Quynh Linh, Interim President of the Vietnamese Association in Hong Kong, said that the establishment of the association will lay a solid legal foundation for the Vietnamese community, thereby enhancing the image and position of Vietnamese people in the special administrative region of China.

The SCOV delegation said they will propose expanding the rights to land and housing of expatriates and adjusting regulations on acquiring/reclaiming Vietnamese citizenship while retaining foreign nationality; as well as speeding up the identification process in Vietnam for people who lost their documents as they came to Hong Kong before 1975, so they can be eligible for a 5-year visa exemption.

Dung pledged that, as a state management agency in the field of overseas Vietnamese, the SCOV will make every effort to gradually remove difficulties, and provide practical support to facilitate the integration and development of overseas Vietnamese in Hong Kong.

Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong Pham Binh Dam said that there are about 7,000 Vietnamese people living in Hong Kong.

During their working trip, the SCOV delegation had a meeting with representatives of the Executive Board of the Vietnamese Association in Macau.

Duong Trung Duc, President of the association, said that before the COVID-19 outbreak, there were about 22,000 Vietnamese people and people of Vietnamese origin working and living in Macau, but the figure decreased to around 7,000 at present.