Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Jan. 17 (VNA) -- Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh has praised Overseas Vietnamese initiatives and recommendations for national legal reform and economic development as "honest and valuable".

Madamn Binh was speaking while greeting more than 300 expatriates from 19 Vietnamese communities in Ho Chi Minh City on Jan. 17 for the traditional Lunar New Year festival.

The Vice President and her co-host, Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary, Nguyen Minh Triet, praised these contributions as a reflection of the national pride and unity of the Vietnamese people throughout history.

She quoted the Vietnamese saying: "One drop of blood is more valuable than a water pond", to praise the unity of the family or the nation.

The national and municipal leaders said they hoped this spirit would always prevail among Vietnamese both at home and abroad in support of the common goal of a prosperous people, a strong country and a just, democratic and advanced society.

An Overseas Vietnamese from France, Lam Thanh My, was optimistic about national sustainable development. He emphasised that the Vietnamese communities abroad would always consider unity and mutual help a must.

He also pledged to contribute further to development of his native land.

The number of overseas Vietnamese companies in Ho Chi Minh City increased by 30 percent to 105 last year and they donated more than VND 6 billion to social development programmes.

Last year saw almost 300,000 Overseas Vietnamese visit their homeland through Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, a year-on-year increase of 14.1 percent, reports the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese's Ho Chi Minh City branch.

For this new year festival, the airport welcomed an all-time-high ofabout 150,000 Overseas Vietnamese.

The Government has issued a single-price policy for transport and services for Overseas Vietnamese from Jan. 1 to March 30.--VNA