Overseas Vietnamese wish to contribute material and intellectual resources to the country.

Currently, many administrative procedures are still complicated and policies are not stable, so people are not confident in returning home.

This year, remittances sent to Ho Chi Minh City reached nearly 50% of the total remittances nationwide, creating a huge source of foreign currency, contributing to stabilizing the exchange rate and the city's foreign exchange market. However, according to Ms. Vo Thi Dung - Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, we have only attracted a very small part of the resources of overseas Vietnamese, the part of attracting the brains and intelligence of overseas Vietnamese to serve the socio-economic development of the country is still open.

On the occasion of the beginning of the year of the Horse 2014, VOV reporter interviewed Ms. Vo Thi Dung about attracting overseas Vietnamese resources.

PV:Madam, recently, our government has had many policies to encourage overseas Vietnamese to return home to invest and do business, for example, overseas Vietnamese can have dual citizenship and buy houses in the country. What do you think about these policies?

Ms. Vo Thi Dung:These policies are necessary but not sufficient. For example, if we want overseas Vietnamese to return to the country to study, research, and work, we must at least have incentive policies and preferential treatment. If we treat overseas Vietnamese as "fair" as domestic officials, civil servants, and intellectuals, they will not return.

Second, we also need to have policies for overseas Vietnamese to contribute well in the host country so that they can contribute better to the development of the country. Currently, our policy is to encourage overseas Vietnamese to return to the country. This needs further study. We must have policies to create conditions for them to have two places of operation. Activities abroad will support the country. Conversely, effective activities in the country also contribute to strengthening people-to-people diplomacy with foreign countries. Currently, our policy only gives incentives to overseas Vietnamese who invest and return to the country.

PV:Meaning the policies help overseas Vietnamese "settle down" but not "find a job", madam?

Ms. Vo Thi Dung:That's right. We have housing conditions, but in essence, this is something that needs to be done, but it is not a decision. The decision is the working environment, policies, creating favorable conditions and especially removing as much administrative procedures as possible; policies must be stable so that people can feel secure returning home.

If business is difficult when returning home, all levels and sectors must focus on solving it and creating favorable conditions. Currently, some people who have returned home are still struggling on their own. If so, it will be impossible to attract overseas Vietnamese.

PV:Returning to the activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in Ho Chi Minh City, what activities has the Front had recently to attract overseas Vietnamese, Madam?

Ms. Vo Thi Dung:The activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front of Ho Chi Minh City include mobilizing overseas Vietnamese. In this work, through propaganda and introduction, overseas Vietnamese can grasp the policies of the Party and the State, and from there, they can have attachments to their homeland and country and contribute to the development of the city and their homeland.

In the movements, inviting overseas Vietnamese to participate in the city's activities, we mobilize and call on overseas Vietnamese to join hands and contribute to social charity work. Movements and campaigns such as for the poor, the movement for beloved Truong Sa, for the frontline of the Fatherland or activities to repay gratitude, towards compatriots in remote areas, compatriots affected by natural disasters... overseas Vietnamese are very enthusiastic, promptly responding to the movements and calls of the front.

In addition, overseas Vietnamese always want to contribute their intelligence to the development of the country. However, the new policies and mechanisms stop at calling for and creating conditions for overseas Vietnamese to contribute materially and remittances. The important thing is how we attract intellectuals and create conditions for overseas Vietnamese to return home to participate in national projects and works. I see that the current policies and mechanisms have not really attracted overseas Vietnamese to effectively participate in these great goals.

Currently, in the country, there are still negative things that make overseas Vietnamese feel uneasy. Some overseas Vietnamese are very sincere and want to contribute to the country, but their policies are unstable, making overseas Vietnamese lack confidence.

Through being close to the people, especially intellectuals, I see that the conditions for them to return to Vietnam to develop their abilities are still inadequate. In addition to policies, there are also areas where working conditions do not ensure that they can develop their strengths and knowledge.

In the past time of implementing Resolution No. 36, we had the right policies, but those policies need to be specified and legalized to be feasible, which is still slow, so it is not attractive and does not attract overseas Vietnamese to participate strongly.

Another thing I think we should pay attention to is that overseas Vietnamese who come here for a long time often have families and children, but these accompanying conditions are not enough. In the current situation, we must create conditions for them to travel between the host country. We even have to encourage overseas Vietnamese to contribute to the host country to create a foundation for effective participation and contribution back home. That means we have to create a very convenient and easy bridge for overseas Vietnamese to contribute not only materially but also intellectually and intellectually to the country to achieve great results.

PV:Currently, does Ho Chi Minh City have any special mechanisms to attract overseas Vietnamese resources, Madam?

Ms. Vo Thi Dung:If we talk about a separate mechanism, there is no such thing, but we do create maximum conditions for overseas intellectuals who want to return to participate in domestic work. For example, we create conditions for food and accommodation, favorable conditions for investment, participation in teaching and research programs, etc. However, because the policy must come from the central government, if it is only at the local level, it is not strong enough.

PV:Thank you!

According to VOV.VN