Overseas Vietnamese contribute to enhancing Vietnam's prestige in the international arena.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, Vu Hong Nam, affirmed that overseas Vietnamese have contributed to enhancing Vietnam's prestige in the international arena; attracting the intellectual capital and knowledge of overseas Vietnamese is considered a resource contributing to the building and development of the country.

In recent years, remittances sent back to the country have increased by approximately 10% annually, contributing to boosting investment and consumption, and acting as a driving force for domestic economic growth.

Wherever I go, I'm always proud to be Vietnamese.

Resolution 36 of the Politburo on work with Vietnamese people abroad clearly states that the Vietnamese community abroad is an inseparable part of the Vietnamese national community. This has given them confidence and a firm anchor: their homeland, their motherland.

Ms. Tong Thi Kim Giang, Vice President of the Vietnamese Business Association in Japan, said: "For various reasons, we have to travel abroad, but everyone longs for home and our homeland. Returning home for the Lunar New Year of the Goat, what I felt most strongly upon stepping off the plane was the familiarity and closeness through the sounds of the streets and the bustling crowds... I felt a sense of peace returning to my ancestral land. No matter where we go, we will always be proud to be Vietnamese."

Cultural performances at the Lunar New Year celebration in Cambodia in 2015 (Year of the Goat). Photo: Vietnam+

Ms. Giang shared that Vietnamese people living abroad have a very distinct characteristic: they deeply love their families and loved ones, and are willing to endure any hardship to save up for their homeland and family. Vietnamese expatriates in Japan have fostered unity and mutual support in life and work, encouraging the contribution of their efforts and resources towards their homeland. They share a common aspiration: to preserve their national identity for future generations in their host country, so that their children and grandchildren can always be proud to be Vietnamese.

She emphasized: “We highly appreciate the policies for overseas Vietnamese, which have made it easier for overseas Vietnamese to invest or return to live in Vietnam with peace of mind. We are very pleased with the Party and State's caring policies for overseas Vietnamese, such as creating conditions for them to retain Vietnamese citizenship, own houses and land... We believe that the current changes will lead Vietnam to further development.”

Vice Chairman of the General Association of Vietnamese People in Thailand, Le Van Huan, shared that the Vietnamese community in Thailand was formed during the resistance war against the French, making significant contributions to the revolution from its early, difficult and arduous stages. In 1945, responding to the call of the Party, the State, and President Ho Chi Minh, overseas Vietnamese in Thailand organized a "Gold Week," raising hundreds of ounces of gold to send back to Vietnam. Currently, thousands of overseas Vietnamese have had their contributions recognized and received awards...

Mr. Le Van Huan stated that the Vietnamese community in Thailand regularly organizes gatherings to share difficulties, help each other in life, unite, and work diligently to contribute to the development of the host country; at the same time, they accumulate savings to send back to Vietnam for investment, business, to help their families, and to contribute to the construction and development of Vietnam.

Expressing her emotion at returning to Vietnam to participate in the "Spring in the Homeland 2015" program, Ms. Nguyen Thi An, President of the Vietnamese Women's Association in Ukraine, shared that when the war broke out in Ukraine, Vietnamese people there were initially very worried about the instability. Through Vietnamese associations and organizations, and through the encouragement and material and spiritual support from the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine, the community felt more secure.

“Currently, our children are still attending school as usual and are also busy preparing for the 2015 Lunar New Year. This is thanks to the timely encouragement and attention of the Party and State leaders, as well as the support and solidarity of the Vietnamese community everywhere in the world. On this occasion, we have also received a lot of encouragement, both spiritually and materially, from people in the country, demonstrating the spirit of love and mutual support, a beautiful virtue of the Vietnamese people, who, no matter where they are, always help and support each other,” Ms. An shared.

Resources that contribute to national development.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vu Hong Nam emphasized that intellectual potential is considered a strength of the Vietnamese community abroad. Currently, the community has more than 400,000 Vietnamese experts and intellectuals abroad (accounting for about 10-15% of the community), including those with university degrees or higher, and highly skilled professionals and technicians.

Along with leveraging the material resources of overseas Vietnamese, attracting their intellectual resources to serve the development and construction of the Fatherland is also an important task assigned by the Party and State to the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese. Despite the challenging global economic situation, remittances from overseas Vietnamese continue to increase, reaching approximately US$12 billion in 2014 alone.

Professor Tran Hai Linh, a young Vietnamese PhD holder in South Korea, stated that the Vietnamese community in South Korea comprises laborers, intellectual professionals, and Vietnamese brides. The community here always hopes for more opportunities to meet and interact with leaders of the Party and State, so that they can offer their opinions and contribute to policies that attract overseas Vietnamese to serve the country's development.

South Korea currently has a large intellectual workforce, therefore the government should implement appropriate policies to attract this well-trained talent to further develop the country's high-tech industries.

According to Ta Minh Tri, President of the Vietnamese Student Association in France, there are many students in France who always look towards their homeland. The student association here regularly organizes activities such as charitable work, helping students in need, and promoting youth solidarity. The students also hope to return to Vietnam after graduation to contribute their intellectual abilities to their country.

On the occasion of the New Year 2015, overseas Vietnamese send their best wishes for a prosperous and healthy New Year, hoping that the country will achieve even greater accomplishments, that the people's lives will become increasingly prosperous and happy, and that the nation will become stronger and more wealthy.

According to Vietnam+