Overseas Vietnamese – the nation’s priceless resources

The country cherishes the feelings of Vietnamese living abroad, “listens thoroughly, sees clearly, and understands fully” their ideas and goals, and greatly values the community’s priceless contributions to the country.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates at the conference in Hanoi on August 22. Photo: Nhat Bac/VGP

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made the statement at the 4th World Conference of Overseas Vietnamese (OV) and the 2024 Forum of OV Intellectuals and Experts, which opened in Hanoi on August 22 and was attended by 400 OVs from more than 40 countries and territories.

This is the fourth event after those held in 2009, 2012, and 2016.

PM Chinh said the country looks to the Vietnamese community living abroad – the nation’s important resource – for support in constructing and safeguarding the Fatherland. He stated that the country’s prosperity is correlated with the prosperity of its citizens. The nation takes great pride in its overseas citizens.

The event, entitled “Overseas Vietnamese join hands to fulfill the nation’s dream of development”, the event took place on August 21 and was attended by the prime minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Chairwoman of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, and many ministers. 

Overview of the opening ceremony of the conference. Photo: Tuan Anh/Baoquocte

The organizing committee received over 20 presentations from domestic agencies and Vietnamese missions abroad and more than 70 presentations from overseas Vietnamese who provided valuable insights into high technology and business, economics, trade, investment, legal policies, culture, the Vietnamese language, and solidarity.

Within the conference, dozens of memoranda of understanding (MOUs) were inked, covering technology transfer, human resources, and communications, among others. 

Vietnam always considers OVs an indispensable part of the nation. The community of more than six million Vietnamese living abroad has served as a huge resource for the country’s development through remittances, contributions to policymaking, promotion of diplomacy and bilateral and multilateral relations, investment, and trade. 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and the delegates at the event. Photo: Tuan Anh/Baoquocte

High-tech: Spotlight of the event

Dozens of famous overseas Vietnamese scholars and businesspeople joined the event to focus on panel discussions about “Overseas Vietnamese with Vietnam’s high-tech development”, “Overseas Vietnamese businesses and entrepreneurs accompanying the country”, “Solidarity and the role of the young overseas Vietnamese”, “Overseas Vietnamese – ambassadors of Vietnamese culture and language.”

Especially, the panel discussion “Overseas Vietnamese with Vietnam’s high-tech development” highlighted the importance of overseas Vietnamese in Vietnam’s semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) industries.

It covered a number of fields, including the packaging and testing industry: International development experience and cooperation for Vietnam with experiences from Vietnamese living in South Korea while those from the Center for Science and Innovation in Spintronics, Tohoku University, Japan talked about the need to build proper semiconductor development strategies with mechanisms that boost the trilateral partnership: business – school – government.

Additionally, it’s valuable with 2 seminars, 12 presentations, and 25 opinions, including very valuable opinion groups such as recommendations from experts living in Australia, France, Germany, the UK, and the US, among others for niche markets, or thinking about strategic markets such as the Northeast Asian Semiconductor Belt, chip packaging and testing.

The session takes on real significance now that the government has released the National Strategy on AI research, development, and application, which aims to make Vietnam a global hub for innovation and a producer of cutting-edge AI products and services for the ASEAN region by 2030.

During the sessions, numerous OV experts who have worked in such important fields as contemporary science and electronics, biology, new materials, new energy, informatics, aviation, space science, and oceanography would like to contribute even more to the advancement of their homeland.

They expect the government to provide information about its policies for supporting foreign minds so that they can seek help, cooperation, and investment from the world’s top experts in the fields.

They stated that more OVs would return home to contribute to the development of their own country if enticing incentives were implemented.

Do Tien Thinh, Deputy Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC) under the Ministry of Science and Technology said Vietnamese professionals and intellectuals living abroad are really committed to Vietnam’s semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries, and they wish to support them with their expertise and financial resources. He confirmed that the views will be shared with relevant agencies in the country for analysis and advice to the government. 

Foreign Minister and Chairwoman of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang addresses the event. Photo: Nguyen Hong/Baoquocte

Speaking at the event, Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairwoman of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant ministries and localities will continue to work on the Party and state’s views and policies outlined in Resolution 13 of the Party Congress, Resolution 36, Directive 45, and Conclusion 12 of the Politburo, as well as the Prime Minister’s instructions on the work of overseas Vietnamese in the coming years.

Hang affirmed that the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese will continue to collaborate with the community during that process to deserve a house full of love from fellow citizens.

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son believes that in the future, people will keep up the good work of fostering unity within the community, adhering to the law, and actively integrating into it. In addition, they are expected to continue making substantial contributions to the development and progress of their homeland while preserving the Vietnamese language and national identity.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with delegates. Photo: Nhat Bac/VGP