Delegates attending the 4th Conference of Overseas Vietnamese around the world and the 2024 Overseas Vietnamese Experts' Knowledge Forum. Photo: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese
Great unity - the source of national strength
During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh always emphasized the role, mission and strength of the spirit of solidarity and great national solidarity: We unite to fight for the unification and independence of the Fatherland; we must also unite to build the country. Whoever has talent, virtue, strength and the heart to serve the Fatherland and the people, we unite with them. Immediately after the country gained independence, Uncle Ho sent many letters and telegrams to overseas Vietnamese informing them of the country's independence, thanking them for sending congratulatory letters and telegrams, donating to build the country and calling on them to promote the tradition of the descendants of Hong Lac, loving their country, loving their race, uniting, helping each other to stabilize their lives and making the civilized world hear the voice of the Fatherland....
In early 1946, in his New Year's greetings to overseas Vietnamese, he highly appreciated their love for the Fatherland, and affirmed that "The Fatherland and the Government always miss our compatriots, just as parents miss their children who are away. That is the human heart and the heavenly principle, that is the love of a family". That thought not only conveyed sacred feelings towards compatriots living far from the Fatherland, but also became the foundation for the policy of great national unity throughout the 80-year journey of Vietnamese diplomacy .
From Uncle Ho's advice to consistent policy throughout
During the resistance wars against France and the US, responding to President Ho Chi Minh's call for national resistance, compatriots in the country upheld the spirit of "rather sacrifice everything than lose the country", while overseas Vietnamese, regardless of the circumstances, turned to the Fatherland, mobilized the international community, and supported Vietnam's just cause. Entering the period of renovation, work for overseas Vietnamese was institutionalized, becoming an important content in the Party and State's guidelines and policies with the birth of a series of strategic documents.
On November 29, 1993, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW on the work of mobilizing overseas Vietnamese. For the first time, the viewpoint that " overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part of the Vietnamese ethnic community " was affirmed in Party documents and was the basis for the Government to issue Decrees No. 74-CP dated July 30, 1994 and 77/CP dated November 6, 1995 on the tasks, powers and organizational structure of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, placing the Committee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since then, the work of overseas Vietnamese has become one of the four pillars of diplomacy (along with political diplomacy, economic diplomacy for national development and cultural diplomacy).
In 2004, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese proposed, advised, and developed Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW dated March 26, 2004 of the Politburo on the work of overseas Vietnamese. This is a document of historical significance, of fundamental, great, comprehensive, and long-term value, deeply reflecting the innovative thinking of our Party, widely disseminated throughout the country, to overseas Vietnamese, and to all countries in the world. The guiding viewpoints of the Party and State have been concretized into many policies and laws related to overseas Vietnamese, including the highest legal document, the 2013 Constitution.
On May 19, 2015, the Politburo continued to issue Directive No. 45-CT/TW on continuing to implement Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW of the 9th Politburo on working with overseas Vietnamese in the new situation, affirming the tradition of great national solidarity and the combination between people at home and abroad. On August 12, 2021, the Politburo continued to issue Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW on working with overseas Vietnamese in the new situation to continue to strengthen, better and more effectively implement Resolution 36 and Directive 45, further raising awareness and concern of the whole society about the role of the overseas Vietnamese community in the cause of great solidarity, mobilizing the combined strength of the nation for the aspiration of building and developing a prosperous and happy country.
It can be said that over the past 80 years, from Uncle Ho's advice to the Party's resolutions, directives and conclusions, policies towards overseas Vietnamese have always been consistent, continuous and increasingly improved, in line with the requirements of each stage of the country's development.
Highlights
The development and contributions of the overseas Vietnamese community over the past 80 years with outstanding achievements are vivid proof of the consistent and continuous policy of great solidarity of our Party and State.
Strengthening the great national unity bloc
Awareness of the role and importance of overseas Vietnamese in the great national unity bloc has been increasingly enhanced. Work for overseas Vietnamese has not only received the attention of leaders at all levels but also attracted the strong participation of departments, ministries, branches and localities. Directive documents of the Party and Government emphasize the role, position and importance of overseas Vietnamese in the great national unity bloc; unanimously affirming the spirit that " overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part and a resource of the Vietnamese ethnic community, an important factor contributing to strengthening the cooperative and friendly relations between our country and other countries ".
It can be affirmed that since the founding of the Party and the country, the revolutionary cause of our country and people has always received enthusiastic support and valuable contributions from our compatriots all over the world. Many compatriots, intellectuals and businessmen have followed the call of the Fatherland and Uncle Ho, promoted their intelligence and contributed to the cause of resistance, construction and protection of the Fatherland. In the early years of renovation, the contributions of our compatriots in both material and intellectual terms have helped the country overcome difficulties to gain the position and strength it has today.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the "For the beloved South" donation movement spread among overseas Vietnamese communities in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, France, the Soviet Union, etc. Although the medicine boxes and packages were small, they were full of love for the Fatherland, contributing to strengthening the resistance base. Entering the period of renovation, the donation and humanitarian relief movements from overseas Vietnamese became more and more systematic and large-scale. Whenever a locality in the country suffered from natural disasters, storms, floods, epidemics, etc., overseas Vietnamese communities all over the world responded, launching donation campaigns, sending tens of billions of VND and necessities back home. Another meaningful activity was the "For Beloved Truong Sa - For the Frontline of the Fatherland" program, which was widely participated by overseas Vietnamese. Tens of billions of VND were donated to build cultural houses, schools, and medical stations for cadres, soldiers, and people on the Truong Sa archipelago.
Up to now, the Vietnamese community abroad has grown in number and expanded in area, with more than 6 million people in over 130 countries and territories, with legal status, economic conditions, role, position and prestige of the community in the host society increasingly enhanced. Our compatriots abroad are united, united with each other and increasingly attached to the homeland. Associations of Vietnamese people abroad have been established, consolidated and developed, contributing to strengthening solidarity in the community, preserving and spreading cultural identity and national traditions, being a bridge of friendship between Vietnam and other countries, and at the same time playing a core role, organizing many activities towards the Fatherland.
Economic contribution – trust and attachment to homeland
Immediately after the country's reunification, remittances from the overseas Vietnamese community became an important resource to help families and relatives in the country overcome the difficulties of this period. Especially since the 1990s, when the policy of renovation and integration was strongly implemented, the amount of remittances sent home increased steadily, contributing positively to socio-economic development.
Overseas Vietnamese businessmen are also increasingly asserting their role in foreign economic development. Vietnamese business associations in other countries have become a bridge to promote trade and investment, contributing to promoting Vietnamese brands in the international market. Domestically, to date, overseas Vietnamese from 35 countries and territories have invested in 421 projects in all provinces and cities in the country, with a total registered capital of 1.72 billion USD. In the 2021-2024 period alone, there have been 59 investment projects with a total registered capital of 118.38 million USD, an increase of 21% in the number of projects and 75% in registered capital compared to the 2018-2020 period. In addition, there are other indirect investment sources of overseas Vietnamese returning home. Investment and business activities of Vietnamese people abroad have contributed to promoting socio-economic development, creating more jobs, and helping to solve social security issues.
Overseas Vietnamese businessmen have become an important bridge to bring Vietnamese agricultural products such as rice, coffee, and fruit into the distribution system of supermarkets in other countries; regularly organize trade fairs and networking seminars, bringing many Vietnamese supporting industrial products and services to participate in the global supply chain. Notably, many overseas Vietnamese businessmen not only enrich themselves but also return to invest in their homeland. Some large projects in the fields of real estate, tourism, and renewable energy in Phu Quoc, Binh Thuan, Quang Ninh, etc. have capital contributions from overseas Vietnamese businessmen from the US, Australia, Singapore, etc., demonstrating the trust and responsibility of the overseas business community for the development of the country.
Connecting knowledge and global innovation
In addition to financial resources, the overseas Vietnamese community also has an invaluable asset: knowledge. Currently, there are about 600,000 Vietnamese intellectuals and experts abroad, many of whom are working in research institutes, universities, and leading corporations in the world. In recent years, the Ministry of Planning and Investment has coordinated with the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese to establish the Vietnam Innovation Network. Since 2018, this network has gathered Vietnamese intellectuals, experts, and young scientists around the world, connecting with domestic agencies to implement projects on artificial intelligence, big data, biotechnology, medicine, renewable energy, etc. Typical projects on artificial intelligence cooperation, establishing research centers in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, etc. have all been accompanied by overseas Vietnamese.
People's Diplomacy - a bridge of international friendship and solidarity
Since the war, overseas Vietnamese associations in France, the United States, the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, etc. have organized many anti-war movements, mobilizing international politicians and intellectuals to support Vietnam. Anti-war demonstrations and petitions sent to the United Nations and national parliaments have created a great impact, helping international public opinion better understand the just struggle of the Vietnamese people.
In the current period, People's Diplomacy through our compatriots abroad continues to be strongly promoted. Overseas Vietnamese associations regularly coordinate with our representative agencies abroad to organize "Vietnam Cultural Day", "Vietnamese Cuisine Week", "Vietnamese Ao Dai Festival"... These activities not only maintain the love for the homeland in the young generation but also contribute to enhancing the position and image of Vietnam in the eyes of international friends. With increasingly enhanced position, role and influence in the host society, overseas Vietnamese become bridges, direct ambassadors promoting Vietnamese culture, cuisine, tourism, country and people around the world.
Step into a new era
Entering a new era, an era of national wealth and prosperity, Vietnamese people at home and abroad are the connecting thread in the great national unity bloc. The strength of the nation comes not only from traditional values but also from the intelligence, creativity and aspiration to rise of each Vietnamese person. It is the patriotism, solidarity and responsibility of each of us that will be the decisive resource for Vietnam to break through, integrate and develop sustainably and prosperously./.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/hanh-trinh-ket-noi-dai-doan-ket-toan-dan-toc-va-dau-an-kieu-bao-trong-ky-nguyen-moi-102250826002208516.htm
![[Photo] General Secretary To Lam attends the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's diplomacy](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/8/25/3dc715efdbf74937b6fe8072bac5cb30)
Comment (0)