Opening Ceremony of the 2nd Conference of Overseas Vietnamese

On the morning of September 27th, in Ho Chi Minh City, the second Conference of Overseas Vietnamese, themed "Vision to 2020 - Overseas Vietnamese Community Integrating and Developing with the Country," organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, officially opened.

Attending the opening ceremony were Politburo member and Standing Committee Secretary Le Hong Anh; Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan; Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Huynh Dam, along with leaders of central and local ministries and agencies, Vietnamese representative offices abroad, and nearly 1,000 overseas Vietnamese delegates.

Overseas Vietnamese return home to celebrate Tet and participate in the televised program "Spring in the Homeland." (Illustrative photo. Photo: Nguyen Khang/TTXVN).

On behalf of the Party, State and Vietnam Fatherland Front leaders, Standing Committee member Le Hong Anh warmly welcomed and highly appreciated the presence of delegates and distinguished guests at this important meeting.

This is a vivid expression of the will and aspirations of over 4 million Vietnamese people living abroad, united in their efforts to build a strong community and remain connected to their homeland.

Mr. Le Hong Anh emphasized the profound understanding that the more than 4 million Vietnamese people living abroad are not only an integral part of the Vietnamese nation but also a valuable resource for the country's industrialization and modernization, and an important bridge in Vietnam's international relations. Therefore, the Party and State of Vietnam have always paid great attention to the work concerning Vietnamese people abroad.

Since the first Conference of Overseas Vietnamese, many policies and guidelines have been issued or amended and improved to meet the vital interests of overseas Vietnamese. Efforts to engage overseas Vietnamese have been actively implemented with diverse forms and content, linked to major political and social events of the country, helping them to become increasingly connected to their homeland.

The Standing Committee of the Party Central Committee also stated that, compared to the needs and aspirations of overseas Vietnamese as well as the requirements of the country's development in the new situation, there is still much work to be done.

Recent events have shown that overseas Vietnamese in some areas still do not have a secure life, and their legal status remains unstable; the need to preserve and promote cultural identity and national traditions, including maintaining the Vietnamese language, is becoming extremely urgent; the work of building and developing associations faces many difficulties, and cohesion in some community areas is not high; a small number of overseas Vietnamese, due to lack of information or misinformation, still say and do things that go against the interests of the community and the nation.

Many policies related to the vital interests of overseas Vietnamese, such as citizenship, business investment, and home ownership, still face obstacles in implementation and lack specific policies and measures to encourage and support overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to return and work in the country.

Based on the above facts, Mr. Le Hong Anh suggested that the conference should conduct a more comprehensive and realistic assessment of the situation and development trends of the Vietnamese community abroad, and the effectiveness of policies and guidelines for overseas Vietnamese, in order to serve the research and determination of strategies for building a community that participates with the Party and State on policies related to this work, thereby developing programs and projects to mobilize the community in the short and long term.

On the other hand, based on promoting a democratic and constructive spirit in discussions, the focus should be on clarifying the difficulties, advantages, potential, and directions in building and developing the community in relation to the requirements of integration and development of the country.

According to Mr. Le Hong Anh, this conference should be considered an important political event, a forum for delegates to discuss specific measures to promote the role of overseas Vietnamese in socio-economic development, strengthen people-to-people diplomacy, and enhance the country's international integration, as outlined by the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Speaking at the conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh affirmed that the Party, State, and people of Vietnam always cherish the valuable sentiments of overseas Vietnamese towards their homeland and always consider overseas Vietnamese as an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation. The Government has issued many mechanisms and policies to support them.

Many legal documents aimed at facilitating overseas Vietnamese in areas such as citizenship, immigration, residence, and the purchase of houses and land have been developed and promulgated. The protection of citizens and support for the activities of Vietnamese organizations and individuals abroad has received greater attention than before.

However, the Government also recognizes that these policies have not yet fully met the aspirations and desires of many overseas Vietnamese. The Government will continue to listen to the opinions and contributions of overseas Vietnamese to develop new policies that meet their needs. The Vietnamese Party and State also always encourage and create the best conditions for overseas Vietnamese to contribute even more to the country.

According to a report by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, the overseas Vietnamese community continues to grow in number and expand its geographical distribution.
To date, more than 4.5 million Vietnamese people are living, working, and studying in 103 countries and territories. The community is increasingly stable, integrated into local societies, and possesses significant economic and intellectual potential.

Every year, around 500,000 overseas Vietnamese return to the country, including many experts and intellectuals who come to work, and many others who come to explore investment and business opportunities.

Currently, there are over 3,500 domestic businesses established or invested in by overseas Vietnamese, with a total registered capital of approximately US$8.4 billion. Remittances to the country have increased by an average of 10-15% per year, reaching over US$9 billion in 2011, making Vietnam one of the top 10 countries receiving the most remittances; in the first six months of 2012, they reached approximately US$6.4 billion, making a significant contribution to stabilizing the balance of payments and the country's economy.

On this occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also awarded the "For the Cause of Overseas Vietnamese Affairs" commemorative medal to Ms. Truong My Hoa, former Vice President and former Chairperson of the Fund for Supporting Overseas Vietnamese.

Following the opening ceremony, four parallel thematic conferences will also take place this afternoon, September 27th, including: “The Future of the Community – Issues of Integration and Economic Development”, “Cultural Identity and National Traditions – Driving Forces for Community Solidarity and National Bonding”, “Vietnamese Intellectuals Abroad and the Cause of Industrialization and Modernization – From Potential to Reality”, and “Overseas Vietnamese Entrepreneurs for the Future of the Community and the Country”.

During the conference program, which runs until September 30th, overseas Vietnamese delegates also participated in exchanges at several prominent economic, cultural, and information establishments in Ho Chi Minh City and the southeastern provinces.

(According to VNA) - LT