In 1946, President Ho Chi Minh wrote a New Year letter to overseas Vietnamese, saying: "The Fatherland and the Government always miss our compatriots, just as parents miss their absent children. That is the human heart and the natural order, that is the love of a family."
It is considered the beloved leader's recognition of the overseas Vietnamese's love for the homeland, as well as encouragement for those living far away from home to return to their homeland.
Imbued with that spirit, over the past decades, the Party and State have always considered overseas Vietnamese an inseparable part of the great national unity bloc.
Therefore, the work of overseas Vietnamese has always received attention from the Party and State, aiming to effectively promote the resources of 6 million overseas Vietnamese living around the world to contribute to building a rich and strong country.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs , Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SOCV) Le Thi Thu Hang shared with Dan Tri about the state's policies, guidelines, and guidelines for overseas Vietnamese work.
Important resources create national strength
As the State management agency for overseas Vietnamese affairs, how does the Deputy Minister evaluate the contributions of the overseas Vietnamese community to Vietnam's development and integration into the world?
- First of all, it is necessary to affirm that the NVNONN community is an important resource contributing to the cause of building, developing and protecting the Fatherland. With about 6 million people living, studying and working in more than 130 countries and territories (more than 80% in developed countries), the resources of the NVNONN community are rich, abundant and have long-term value, demonstrated through their contributions to all aspects of the country's development.
In the economic field, by the end of 2023, overseas Vietnamese had invested in 421 domestic FDI projects with a total registered capital of 1.72 billion USD; the amount of remittances sent home in the past 30 years (1993-2023) reached over 230 billion USD.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said the Party and State highly appreciate the role of overseas Vietnamese in the country's construction and development (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Investment, business activities and remittances sent home by overseas Vietnamese contribute to stabilizing the balance of payments and the macro-economy, promoting socio-economic development and international integration of Vietnam. In addition, the overseas Vietnamese business community also plays an important role in providing advice, development consulting, supporting the acquisition of local market information, expanding the distribution network and consuming Vietnamese goods to the world.
In the field of knowledge, the number of foreign workers with university degrees or higher is about 600,000 people, many of whom are scientists and famous experts in key fields, highly regarded by their host countries.
It is estimated that each year, about 500 overseas intellectuals return to the country to participate in scientific and technological activities and contribute their opinions on the country's development issues. In recent years, along with meetings, exchanges and discussions with the overseas intellectual and expert community organized by domestic authorities, the intellectual resources of overseas Vietnamese have been increasingly promoted.
Many overseas experts and intellectuals have directly participated in the process of advising and providing policy advice to the Government to gradually resolve difficulties and problems arising in the country's socio-economic development process such as clean energy, green technology, green economy, circular economy, environmental protection and sustainable development, etc.
Along with the need to preserve and promote national cultural identity, overseas Vietnamese are also an important "soft" resource, acting as a bridge between culture, cuisine and language, contributing to promoting the country's image and promoting Vietnamese tourism to local and international friends.
In addition, NVNONN is increasingly integrating deeply into the host society, has a stronger position, expands political influence, contributes to strengthening trust, deepens cooperative relations between Vietnam and the people, politicians, leaders of countries, and international organizations.
Not only that, overseas Vietnamese also actively participate in protecting the country's territorial sovereignty and seas and islands from afar, through activities such as establishing the Fund for Vietnam's Sea and Island Sovereignty, the Truong Sa - Hoang Sa Club, organizing seminars on the East Sea, etc., contributing to conveying correct information to the international community, affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos.
A survey conducted by the UK recruitment consultancy Robert Walters in early August last year showed that 71% of overseas Vietnamese respondents planned to return to their homeland to live and work within the next 5 years. According to the Deputy Minister, what is the motivation that attracts overseas Vietnamese to want to return to the country to contribute to the development of their homeland?
- This is really an impressive figure. In fact, in recent years, the trend of overseas Vietnamese returning to live and work in the country has been increasing. In my opinion, this first of all comes from the overseas Vietnamese's love for their homeland and country. Although each of us has different circumstances and different reasons for going abroad, deep in our hearts, the love for our homeland and the desire to join hands to contribute to our homeland are always present.
Overseas Vietnamese experience taking the metro in Ho Chi Minh City when returning home to participate in the Homeland Spring program in 2024 (Photo: Hai Long).
Second, the Party and State's policies and guidelines for overseas Vietnamese are increasingly open, creating favorable conditions for overseas Vietnamese to return home to work, invest and do business. This is reflected in documents and resolutions on overseas Vietnamese work such as Resolution 36-NQ/TW, Directive 45-CT/TW and most recently Conclusion 12-KL/TW. The 13th Party Congress documents also emphasized that "there should be policies to attract overseas Vietnamese resources to actively contribute to the cause of national construction and defense".
Although each of us has different circumstances and different reasons for going abroad, deep in our hearts, the love for our homeland and the desire to join hands to contribute to our homeland always exist.
To materialize the above policies of the Party, recently, ministries, branches and localities have proposed and issued many policies, legal regulations, plans and action programs in the work of NVNONN.
Many policies and guidelines in areas of concern to the people such as nationality, housing, land, and residence have been issued or proposed to be amended to facilitate overseas Vietnamese to have the same rights and obligations as citizens in the country.
Up to now, Vietnam has basically formed a relatively complete system of legal documents related to overseas Vietnamese, gradually meeting the legitimate needs and aspirations of overseas Vietnamese, thereby strengthening their connection with their homeland, while encouraging them to contribute to the development of the country according to their circumstances and abilities.
Untangling the knots, helping overseas Vietnamese to easily "return home"
With experience working with overseas Vietnamese communities in other countries, could you please tell us what difficulties and challenges overseas Vietnamese may face when returning to their homeland to work? What policies has the State had to attract this important resource?
- As Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, I respect and highly appreciate overseas Vietnamese who return to Vietnam to live, work and contribute to the Fatherland.
In recent years, especially since the Politburo's Resolution 36 on overseas Vietnamese work was issued (2004), this work has been strongly promoted and comprehensively implemented in all aspects with the participation of the entire political system with the ultimate goal of promoting national unity, supporting overseas Vietnamese to integrate, develop locally and stay attached to their homeland.
The work on NVNONN has therefore achieved very meaningful results, especially in promulgating and implementing policies to facilitate the rights and obligations of overseas Vietnamese like domestic citizens, attracting overseas Vietnamese to return to their homeland.
Overseas Vietnamese from more than 20 countries around the world, led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairwoman of the Committee Le Thi Thu Hang, made a pilgrimage to Hung Temple on the occasion of the Hung Kings' death anniversary (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
However, when returning to Vietnam to live and work, although "returning home", overseas Vietnamese still encounter more or less difficulties. Challenges include administrative procedures, living and working environment, and domestic treatment regimes that are not really attractive compared to developed countries. In addition, institutional differences, language barriers, and dissimilar perceptions of issues, especially professional issues, also cause overseas Vietnamese to feel hesitant when returning to work in the country.
Regarding the above difficulties, the Party and Government have paid attention to directing and implementing many measures to remove obstacles, mainly focusing on two groups of measures:
Firstly , measures to facilitate overseas Vietnamese to return home to visit relatives, ensuring their rights and assets and those of their families... Many policies and laws have been reviewed, amended, supplemented, and improved to create conditions for overseas Vietnamese to return home to live and work, ensuring the rights and interests of overseas Vietnamese.
For example, the 2024 Land Law (amended) has expanded land use rights for Vietnamese people residing abroad, or aims to issue identity cards to Vietnamese people residing abroad who do not have permanent residence in Vietnam.
Second , measures to create a favorable environment for overseas Vietnamese to work, invest, do business, cooperate in science and technology, participate in cultural and social activities, charity and humanitarian activities such as: continuing to improve the investment and business environment, administrative procedures, especially at the local level to create an equal, favorable and transparent environment for overseas Vietnamese businesses; having policies and measures to invest and send remittances to priority fields, regions and projects in accordance with the development orientation of the country, localities and businesses.
The State also has measures to improve the effectiveness of information exchange mechanisms and flexible cooperation so that overseas Vietnamese scientists, intellectuals and experts can contribute both directly and remotely; perfect the mechanism for receiving and processing feedback, effectively applying and promoting initiatives and contributions from experts and intellectuals; create favorable conditions for jobs and startups for young overseas Vietnamese and overseas Vietnamese workers upon their return...
The Deputy Minister shared that the number of high-quality human resources, Vietnamese people with university degrees or higher, abroad is about 600,000 people. So, what plans does Vietnam have to take advantage of this important resource?
- With high professional qualifications, rich experience and rich social relationships in specialized fields, overseas intellectuals are an especially important resource for the country's development in the new situation. The Party and the State have issued many policies to consolidate and promote this resource.
The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) has promoted its advisory role in building and perfecting the policy system, actively implementing the work of mobilizing and supporting overseas intellectuals in diverse and flexible forms such as organizing working delegations and events at home and abroad to meet, exchange and discuss with people, learn about their thoughts and aspirations, support overseas Vietnamese associations and groups to participate in domestic and foreign awards, connect intellectual associations and groups with localities and potential partners, and propose rewards for individuals and overseas intellectual associations with many achievements and contributions to the country.
The Overseas Vietnamese Economic Forum aims to promote cooperation between localities, Vietnamese enterprises, and Vietnamese businessmen around the world (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
In the coming time, the NVNONN intellectual team will continue to increase in number, become more diverse in residential areas, integrate more deeply into the local society and continue to change in structure. To further promote the role of NVNONN experts and intellectuals in the process of building and developing the country, we need to strongly and synchronously deploy the following groups of measures:
Firstly , regarding the development of intellectuals, it is necessary to continue supporting overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals to create conditions for them to integrate well in their home countries; encourage overseas intellectuals to organize professional and community activities, and establish networks and associations in localities and regions.
Second , regarding the orientation of attracting overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals, in addition to maintaining contact and cooperation with experienced intellectuals and experts, it is necessary to continue to expand towards the younger generation of intellectuals; increase the attraction of overseas Vietnamese intellectual resources "from afar", indirectly such as short-term teaching, consulting, high-tech transfer, acting as a bridge to invite international experts to Vietnam... instead of having to return to Vietnam to work long-term; continue to review, revise, and promulgate policies on attracting, selecting, and employing overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and experts; regularly update mechanisms, preferential policies, and priority areas of cooperation in science and technology to the community.
Third , regarding the issue of employing and treating talented people, it is necessary to continue to improve the working environment, provide opportunities and appropriate scientific tasks for overseas experts and intellectuals; have a remuneration regime based on the qualifications, capacity and effectiveness of individual contributions, pay salaries at a level approaching the international market; have a form of honor appropriate to the contributions of overseas intellectuals.
Another important resource of overseas Vietnamese contributing to the development of the country is the economic resource with domestic investment projects, remittances as well as promoting trade activities between Vietnam and other countries. To maximize the economic resources from overseas Vietnamese, what has Vietnam done, is doing and will do?
- The contributions of NVNONN in investment, economy, trade and remittances are important resources for the country's development, especially in the context of Vietnam entering a new development period, realizing the goal of developing the country quickly and sustainably.
Over the past 20 years, the Party and State have built, amended and supplemented many laws and regulations to facilitate overseas Vietnamese returning to the country to live, invest, do business, cooperate in science and technology, etc., such as the Land Law, Citizen Identification Law, Housing Law, Real Estate Business Law, Investment Law, Nationality Law, etc.
Vietnam has also issued and implemented many important initiatives, mechanisms, strategies and projects such as the establishment of the National Innovation Center and the Vietnam Innovation Network, the National Strategy for Developing Intellectuals, the Project "Mobilizing NVNONN to participate in introducing, consuming products and developing distribution channels for Vietnamese goods abroad, period 2020-2024", the Project "Promoting NVNONN resources to serve the country in the new situation"...
Over the past 20 years, the Party and State have built, amended and supplemented many laws and regulations to facilitate overseas Vietnamese returning to the country to live, invest, do business, cooperate in science and technology, etc., such as the Land Law, Citizen Identification Law, Housing Law, Real Estate Business Law, Investment Law, Nationality Law, etc.
In addition, ministries, branches and localities regularly organize activities, events and forums connecting Vietnamese businesses at home and abroad to listen to the legitimate thoughts and aspirations of overseas Vietnamese, and remove difficulties and obstacles for overseas Vietnamese businesses and businessmen.
In order to effectively promote the economic resources of NVNONN, in the coming time, it is necessary to continue to review, amend, supplement and perfect policies and laws to create conditions for NVNONN to feel secure in returning home to invest and do business; continue to improve the investment environment, reform administrative procedures, especially in the implementation and implementation at the local level in a transparent and favorable direction for investors.
Vietnam needs to regularly inform overseas Vietnamese about policies, sectors, and priority projects calling for investment; continue to strengthen activities to connect and support overseas Vietnamese business associations; maintain the annual growth momentum of remittances and encourage remittances to go into priority projects in line with the country's development orientation.
Strengthening and consolidating national unity
Over the years, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs has organized meaningful visits for the overseas Vietnamese community to the front line of the Fatherland in the East Sea. What is the significance of this activity? What have overseas Vietnamese contributed to the protection of the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland? Can the Deputy Minister share memorable memories when organizing this activity?
- Since 2012, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs has coordinated with the Navy Command to successfully organize 11 ship trips bringing about 600 overseas Vietnamese to visit the soldiers and people of Truong Sa island district and DK-I platform.
This is a meaningful activity, not only meeting the aspirations and feelings of overseas Vietnamese towards the sea and islands of the Fatherland, expressing their love for their homeland and country, but also an opportunity for overseas Vietnamese from many places in the world to meet, connect with each other and exchange and share with people in the country, contributing to strengthening the great national unity bloc.
Overseas Vietnamese delegation visits Truong Sa archipelago to celebrate the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day on April 30 (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Thereby, affirming the Party and State's guidelines and policies, as well as the determination, efforts and achievements of our army and people in the struggle to protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.
Through these trips, overseas Vietnamese in many places have made substantial and effective contributions to the cause of protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland, such as supporting the construction of sovereignty boats, constructing works on the islands, donating artifacts and necessities to island locations and platforms, etc., with a total amount of about 30 billion VND.
In addition, overseas Vietnamese have also established Forums, Truong Sa - Hoang Sa Clubs, Liaison Committees, Funds for Vietnam's Sea and Islands... in many places such as Poland, France, Korea, Singapore, Asia - Pacific...; increased research on new measures and inventions, contributing to improving the lives of officers and soldiers on the islands; regularly organized many seminars, exhibitions, and composed literature and poetry... affirming the love of the overseas Vietnamese for their country, contributing to strongly propagating to the overseas Vietnamese community and the international community about Vietnam's sea and island sovereignty.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang, on behalf of the NVNONN community, supports the program "Greening Truong Sa" (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
The voyage to Truong Sa and DK-I Platform left many deep impressions on me, but what remained deeply in my mind were the letters that overseas Vietnamese sent to me after the trips, which were their sincere feelings and confidences for their homeland and country, their admiration for the will and determination of the navy soldiers... after witnessing with their own eyes the spirit of readiness to accept hardships and sacrifices of the soldiers and people of Truong Sa to protect the sovereignty of the Fatherland.
I was deeply moved when I was able to join the people in presenting small but affectionate gifts from faraway Europe and America to the soldiers, such as hair clippers, sunscreen, or the national flags meticulously sewn by the women and mothers. Every time I recall the voyage, I feel the warmth of the military-civilian relationship and the solidarity of the people. I consider these the most priceless gifts, a great source of encouragement for our soldiers and people in Truong Sa and DK-I Platform.
The plan for the Day to honor the Vietnamese language in the overseas Vietnamese community is one of the highlights in the activities of the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese. More broadly, it is the desire of the Party and State to preserve, maintain and promote the language and culture of the nation in the overseas Vietnamese community. According to the Deputy Minister, to make the dissemination and teaching of Vietnamese abroad more effective, what specific measures, policies and approaches are needed?
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang honored an Australian expatriate as Vietnamese Language Ambassador in September 2023 (Photo: Linh Duc).
- For the overseas Vietnamese community, Vietnamese is a means of preserving and transmitting culture, helping our compatriots abroad preserve their own cultural identity, confidently develop and integrate with the world.
The work of preserving the Vietnamese language has always been of deep concern to our Party and State, affirmed as a consistent and continuous policy and stated as a specific task in the directive documents on work for NVNONN such as Resolution 36-NQ/TW, Directive 45-CT/TW and most recently Conclusion 12/KL-TW. To make the dissemination and teaching of Vietnamese language for the NVNONN community more effective, we need to focus on a number of measures such as:
Firstly , improve the quality of Vietnamese language teaching through research and improvement in compiling books and materials for teaching and learning Vietnamese; research and innovate methods and forms of teaching Vietnamese for NVNONN, focusing on applying new technology such as using advanced software to prepare lessons, build teaching programs, manage classrooms, etc.
In addition, it is necessary to raise awareness of the role of the community and especially the family in preserving and promoting the Vietnamese language; encourage associations and individuals of overseas Vietnamese, especially the young generation born and raised abroad, to maintain the use of Vietnamese in community activities, family and daily communication.
Second , promote cooperation channels, mobilize and encourage foreign governments and educational institutions to include Vietnamese in teaching at local educational institutions, making Vietnamese a major foreign language alongside other foreign languages; strengthen the organization of language promotion activities, teacher and student exchanges with other countries, and bring Vietnamese to foreigners who have the good will and need to learn Vietnamese.
Third , strengthen the organization of activities in response to the Vietnamese Language Honor Day in the overseas Vietnamese community such as organizing the "Searching for Vietnamese Language Ambassadors" Contest, building Vietnamese language bookcases in other countries, organizing seminars and workshops on Vietnamese language work...; encourage and support activities to introduce and promote Vietnamese culture and language of overseas Vietnamese in other countries; mobilize the participation of ministries, localities, businesses, people in the country and the overseas Vietnamese community in implementing the Project on Vietnamese Language Honor Day in the overseas Vietnamese community.
Thank you very much!
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/go-vuong-mac-dam-bao-quyen-loi-de-kieu-bao-gop-suc-phat-trien-dat-nuoc-20240518170248889.htm
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