General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) To Lam on January 19 highlighted the enduring love for the homeland demonstrated by overseas Vietnamese and acknowledged their practical contributions to the nation’s development.
| General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) To Lam meet prominent overseas Vietnamese in Hanoi on January 19. Photo: VNA |
The Party chief expressed appreciation for overseas Vietnamese (OVs)’ significant contributions to the country’s progress at a cordial meeting at the Central Office of the Communist Party in Hanoi to welcome a delegation of prominent OVs participating in the Homeland Spring 2025 Program.
To Lam shared his reflections on meeting expatriates during his international visits over the past year. He voiced pride in seeing the Vietnamese diaspora thrive and play vital roles in their host countries.
He commended their unity and mutual support through their assistance to Typhoon Yagi victims and their insightful participation at the 4th Conference of Overseas Vietnamese and the Forum for Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Abroad.
The general secretary also reflected on Vietnam’s achievements in 2024, noting the country’s success in meeting all 15 socio-economic targets despite regional and global challenges. He outlined three priority areas for future development namely enhancing institutions, advancing human resources, and modernizing infrastructure.
| The Party chief welcomes prominent overseas Vietnamese. |
He reaffirmed the Party and State’s commitment to addressing cultural and social progress alongside economic growth, to eliminate temporary and unsafe housing by 2025.
The general secretary emphasized the Party’s mission to guide Vietnam into a new era of development, to become a modern industrialized nation with upper-middle income by 2030 and a developed, high-income socialist country by 2045.
He called on the overseas Vietnamese community to contribute to this journey and pledged to implement special mechanisms to attract their talents. He encouraged active involvement in carrying out Resolution 57 on science and technology and ensuring policies that enable expatriates to contribute effectively.
He reaffirmed the Party and State’s unwavering policy that “overseas Vietnamese are an integral part and a vital resource of the country, playing a key role in fostering cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and other nations.”
On this occasion, the general secretary extended heartfelt New Year greetings to both the delegates and the broader Vietnamese community abroad.
| The Party chief with the delegates attending the meeting. |
At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, Le Thi Thu Hang, expressed her gratitude to the general secretary and the Central Party Office for the warm reception.
She reported that the overseas Vietnamese community, now exceeding six million people across 130 countries and territories, has successfully integrated into their host societies, achieved economic stability, and preserved Vietnamese cultural heritage.
Hang highlighted the growing movement to teach and learn the Vietnamese language, particularly among the younger generations, and commended their solidarity, exemplified by donations totaling over VND58 billion (US$2.3 million) for Typhoon Yagi relief efforts.
Deputy Minister Hang also briefed the Homeland Spring 2025 Program, which included OV visits to historical and cultural landmarks, meetings with national and provincial leaders, and participation in the President’s Tet celebration.
During the meeting, several expatriates shared their perspectives and aspirations. Thai Senator Do Duc Khoi, whose father is Vietnamese, spoke of his deepening connection to Vietnam and his commitment to enhancing Thailand-Vietnam relations.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese-American Le Van Hoa emphasized the necessity of nuclear energy projects for Vietnam’s development and expressed his willingness to contribute expertise to this sector.
At the same time, Israel-based entrepreneur Truong Thi Hong, specializing in biotechnology and agriculture, expressed her desire to bring Israeli agricultural technologies to Vietnam, supported by local authorities.
With care to the delegates, the general secretary presented gifts to them, hoping they would take a piece of Vietnam back to their host countries.
