By Ayman Adly
Staff Reporter
Ambassador Le Hong Pham with community members
The Vietnam embassy in Qatar yesterday marked the new lunar Year of the Dragon  with a community gathering.
Speaking on the occasion, ambassador Le Hong Pham said the Vietnamese community in Qatar had raised funds for war victims back home.
“We get together on this occasion to wish each other a good year,” he said.
Many women and girls in the gathering at the ambassador’s residence  were attired in their national dress. Vietnamese folk music played in the background. The celebration featured traditional delicacies. 
The ambassador said  Qatari and Vietnamese senior officials would meet soon to discuss ways to increase co-operation in labour fields aimed  at increasing the number of Vietnamese manpower in Qatar.
“The official visit of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani in mid-January 2012 has brought  bilateral relations to a new height. The two leaders reviewed joint co-operation and ways to cement them in several fields and witnessed the signing of numerous agreements and memorandums of understanding between the two countries in trade, investment, agriculture, labour, education and training,” recalled Pham.
During the visit of HH the Emir to Vietnam, Qatar Petroleum International (QPI) and Petro Vietnam had announced the establishment of a joint venture to build a $4bn petrochemical complex in Long Son in Which QPI would pick up 25% stake.
Some of the Vietnamese expatriates attending the function. PICTURES: Jayaram
The ambassador briefed the community on the economic and social advancements attained at home in various fields. He stressed that “social stability and rapid economic development in Vietnam made it a promising destination for foreign investors including Qatar”.
“With daily flights of Qatar Airways from Doha to Ho Chi Minh  City and Hanoi, Qatari and Vietnamese businessmen are facilitated to seek their opportunities in Vietnam and Qatar.”
The ambassador welcomed Qatari businessmen for investing in  areas like real state, tourism, agriculture and education in Vietnam
“Based on the current good relations, we believe that the prospect of co-operation between the two countries is very bright.”