More overseas Vietnamese embrace their homeland

Vietnam respected Viet Kieu’s valuable sentiments to the country

The four-day conference, organised for the second time for Viet Kieu since 2009, was themed “Vision to 2020 – the Overseas Vietnamese Community’s Integration and Development with the Nation”.
 
Politburo member Le Hong Anh told the conference that Vietnam always considered Viet Kieu an integral part of the country and numerous efforts had been made to create favourable conditions for Viet Kieu to contribute to their motherland.

He said since the first conference in November 2009 in Hanoi, many guidelines and policies have been issued or revised to meet Viet Kieu’s vital interests. Yet there was a shortage of specific policies to create conditions for overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to return to work in the motherland.

He said he expected the the conference would result in a full assessment on the situation and development trend of the overseas Vietnamese community as well as the efficiency of guidelines and policies for them.

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh reiterated that Vietnam respected Viet Kieu’s valuable sentiments to the country and considered them an integral part of Vietnam. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese chairman Nguyen Thanh Son said around 4.5 million people of Vietnamese origin were now living overseas. They include over 400,000 scientists and experts working for research institutes and universities in developed countries.

Vietnamese-Filipino Jonathan Hanh Nguyen, president of Imex Pan Pacific Group raised six proposals to the Vietnamese government, including the application of policy mechanisms to attract Viet Kieus’ resources and continue administrative reforms, focusing on the elimination of cumbersome procedures and harassment by some public authorities.

Vietnamese Canadian Phung Kim Vy, CEO of the Cliff Resort and Residences in Phan Thiet, said the conferences played “an important role in connecting government leaders and policy makers with overseas Vietnamese.”

Vy said it was good news Vietnam allowed Viet Kieu to have dual nationality and ownership of property in Vietnam, where she first returned about 20 years ago to do business. Vy is also deputy chief of the Overseas Vietnamese Club in Ho Chi Minh City.

Viet Kieu worldwide have invested about $6 billion in some 2,000 projects in Vietnam, according to the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, which is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Their remittances reached $6 billion in the first eight months of this year, compared with $9.4 billion in 2011.