The Vietnamese people's fulcrum on the Volga River

(Baonghean) - On the occasion of the 97th anniversary of the Russian October Revolution, Nghe An Newspaper reporter had an interview with Mr. Duong Hai An - a native of Nghe An, currently General Director of Volga - Viet Company, Vice President of the Vietnamese Business Association in the Russian Federation, President of the Vietnamese Association in Volgagrad, who always does his best to help overseas Vietnamese people stabilize their lives...

Reporter:As someone who was born and raised in Nghe An, started a business and built a leading Vietnamese corporation in Volgagrad province, what opportunity brought you to Russia and created that business?

Mr. Duong Hai An:I was born in 1961, in Yen Son commune (Do Luong). When I grew up, I joined the army to fight to protect the northern border. After the border war ended, I went to Russia under the military labor cooperation program in 1988, for a period of 5 years. In 1992, when my labor obligation expired, Russia was in a difficult period. Some factories could not afford to buy tickets for Vietnamese workers to return home and some had to stay, including me. Thanks to the attention of our Party and State, through diplomatic channels, the government of the other side created conditions for us to stay and do business legally.

Vietnamese workers work in the fields of Volga - Viet Corporation.

Volga - Viet Corporation in the Volgagrad region - the East bank of the Volga River - was led by me as the pillar of cooperation, along with some brothers in Hai Phong, Vinh Phu, Ha Tinh... We established and built the company, as a foundation to create legal labor rights for Vietnamese people, as a fulcrum and bridge to provide legal business documents for the Vietnamese community. The company rented a commercial area, built kiosks for people to get goods to sell. Once stable, we developed the production of other items such as: garment, scrap collection, recycled plastic, agriculture.

In the early days, we had nearly 500 kiosks, when the world economy fell into crisis, there were about 300 kiosks left. In addition, we built 3 dormitories. Each dormitory has about 40 rooms as a place to live for Vietnamese people with the purpose of helping them "settle down". Later, we opened up agricultural production to bring more people from Vietnam to work. The success of Volga - Viet Corporation has many factors, including the support and assistance of the Vietnamese community, especially people from Nghe Tinh. Currently, Volga - Viet Corporation has about 500 employees, Vietnamese people account for about 400, of which nearly 50 are from Nghe An.

Taking water from the Volga River to irrigate the farm of Volga Corporation - Vietnam

Reporter:Could you tell us some of the advantages and difficulties of Vietnamese workers in Russia today, as well as of Volga – Viet Corporation, of which you are the General Director?

Mr. Duong Hai An:Before 2000, the number of Vietnamese workers going to Russia was quite large, it could be called massive. After 2000, in Volgagrad province, the Vietnamese community had about 1000 people, of which Nghe Tinh people accounted for about half. During this period, the Russian government tightened immigration procedures and the activities of immigrants in Russia. Many Vietnamese people, due to not having documents and going through illegal routes, had to return home.

Recently, when major conflicts occurred involving Russia, especially since the annexation of Crimea into Russia, the US and Western countries imposed economic sanctions on Russia, the life of the Vietnamese community encountered many difficulties. Along with that, the ruble lost value, previously 30 rubles could be exchanged for 1 USD, now the black market price is 44 rubles to be exchanged for 1 USD. Vietnamese workers at Russian establishments are paid in rubles, when sending money back home, they are mainly converted into USD, so they are at a disadvantage.

With Volga – Viet Corporation, it is different. In addition to trade and services, our Corporation also has a large area of ​​agricultural production activities. In the field of agricultural production, Russia always encourages and creates favorable conditions, agricultural land tax is almost zero. Volga – Viet Corporation bought 200 hectares of land in Volgagrad, on which we produce clean vegetable products: about 10 hectares of tomatoes covered with plastic indoors, 10 hectares of tomatoes outdoors, 20 hectares of carrots, many areas of cabbage, chili, onions... produced under contracts with orders from supermarkets. Moreover, in the context of implementing the current economic confrontation policy, Russia bans the import of some goods from the US and the West, so our company receives many new orders. Therefore, the lives of Vietnamese workers in our enterprise are guaranteed, with an income of about 1000 USD/month/person.

Harvesting vegetables at the farm of Volga - Viet Corporation.

Tomato products.

Reporter:What are your feelings about the attachment of the Vietnamese community to the local people and government, and the Vietnamese community in Russia to their homeland?

Mr. Duong Hai An:In my opinion, the solidarity between the Vietnamese community and the local people and government is very good. In addition to about 1,000 workers, there are also a large number of international students studying in Volgograd, so we often organize meetings and exchanges with the Russian people. Vietnamese people in Russia always live in harmony. All Vietnamese delegations visiting and working in Russia are warmly welcomed by the Russians. In Volgograd, there are about 40-50 Vietnamese people married to Russians. Here, a second generation of Vietnamese people has formed, quite stable and developing. There are members of the second generation with mixed Vietnamese and Russian blood... Russia is truly our second homeland.

Vietnamese community supports people in flood-affected areas.

In faraway Russia, the Vietnamese community always looks towards their homeland and always tries to have many practical activities: visiting and giving gifts to flood victims; supporting and helping the poor and other activities. With favorable information conditions, through press agencies, such as Nghe An Electronic Newspaper, we always follow, grasp information, and are excited about the positive changes of our homeland.

Having achieved success in the Russian Federation, Vietnamese businesses in general and Nghe An businesses in particular always want to contribute to their homeland. In my opinion, if there are favorable and suitable policies, the opportunity for Russian businesses to return to their homeland to invest is very large, and we are always ready to be a bridge for the development of our homeland.

Reporter:Thank you very much!

Ngo Kien(Perform)