Returning to the homeland to prosper

September 25, 2012 | 10:02
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Let’s follow me to go to where I was born and grew up, you will understand. - Nguyen Thanh My, founder and CEO of Mylan Group

>> A warm homecoming for Viet Kieu

“I’ve returned to Vietnam not to enrich myself as I don’t lack money, but when seeing thatched cottages and skinny children, I am determined to develop a business so as to have chance to help my homeland,” said Nguyen Thanh My, founder and CEO of Mylan Group.

Like many other successful overseas Vietnamese or Viet Kieu, My always longs to make contributions to the development of his native soil. Coming back to Vietnam from Canada after nearly 20 years, he was proud of the Vietnamese people’s intelligence and business-making ability. Poor students are excellent, but are failing to access modern studying curricular and new applications.

“Nguyen Thanh My is both a talented scientist and an excellent businessman. He always takes care of all things around him - family, staff, partners, friends and homeland. This makes me to admire him most,” said Darren Chen, chairman of Taiwan-based Top High Image Corp.
      
In early 2000s, My was very busy with his American Dye Source, Inc (ADS) – established in 1997 in Canada, but thought of doing something really meaningful for his homeland that was close to his heart.

“A talented person must create positive influences on the society. That’s my viewpoint,” My said.
With such a thought and overcoming a series of difficulties, in 2006, My inaugurated a $10 million factory called Mylan Chemicals specialising in printing technology, chemicals and photo-electrics in his homeland – Mekong Delta’s Tra Vinh, one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam. The company was later renamed Mylan Group.  

“Our company is recruiting 400 staff and the society has 400 jobs. If working and living well, happiness will come to hundreds of families. That is my happiness, a businessman with a desire to contribute to constructing and developing homeland,” he said.

When asked “why do you leave Canada to return to Vietnam and invest in printing industry in Tra Vinh?” My answered “Let’s follow me to go to where I was born and grew up, you will understand.”

My received a PhD degree in chemistry in Canada in 1990. Then he worked for many giants such as IBM, Sun Chemical and Kodak Polychrome Graphics. My possesses over 60 scientific patents recognised in different countries in the world, particularly the invention of Computer to Plate (CTP) – a new printing technology used widely in the world, which has entered Vietnam into the world’s map of hi-tech trademarks.

Not only  My, many other overseas Vietnamese are wholeheartedly developing their native land.
“For many successful overseas Vietnamese, they often desire to do something for the development of their homeland. What they want the most is not the economic efficiency but first, they want to help local residents to have jobs and increasing income, and they need to be recognised,” said Hoang Xuan Binh, vice chairman of the Overseas Vietnamese Business Association in Poland.

So far, overseas Vietnamese in Poland have poured capital in typical projects such as Air Mekong, European Viet Kieu Village, Orange Garden Urban Area and Vifon instant noodle.
   
According to unofficial statistics, there are 4.5 million Vietnamese people living and working in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide, including over 400,000 experts in various fields at research institutes and universities in developed countries. The overseas Vietnamese community is making increasing contributions to Vietnam’s growth.

According to the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, there are more than 3,500 overseas Vietnamese-backed investment projects with a combined registered capital of over $8 billion in 51 out of 63 provinces and cities across Vietnam, most of which  come from countries like the US, Canada, Australia, Russia, France, Holland and Czech.

Overseas remittances to Vietnam have steadily increased over the years, from $7 billion in 2009 to $9.2 billion in 2011, an equivalent to 7.4 per cent of Vietnam’s GDP and placing Vietnam into the list of top 10 countries receiving overseas remittances in the world. In the first half of 2012, overseas remittances reached $6 billion.

“The investment capital and overseas remittance have made much contribution to Vietnam’s poverty reduction, employment and socio-economic development and is a supplement of foreign currencies to Vietnam,” stated the committee.

With strong financial capacities, many overseas Vietnamese have brought many big projects to Vietnam in many fields, but with a focus on three key areas of processing and manufacturing industry, real estate trading and information-communications. In the field of banking and finance, they are big shareholders in Vietnam’s large banks such as Techcombank and VPBank.

They also invest in building big trade centres like Vingroup and Melinh Plaza, or Furama Hotel. In the field of production, there are big firms like Eurowindow and Masan and in tourism, there are Sun Group or Eden Resort Dalat.

By Kieu Linh

vir.com.vn

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