Phnom Penh (VNA) – A scholar from the InternationalRelations Institute under the Royal Academy of Cambodia has spoken highly ofthe Vietnamese Party and State’s attention to and policy on overseasVietnamese (OVs), the community’s contributions to the homeland, as well as theirgrowing role in host countries.

In his recent article posted on Cambodia’s Swiftnews website,Uch Leang, Deputy Director for Asian, African, and Middle East Studies at theInternational Relations Institute, highlighted some documents showing theVietnamese Party and State’s viewpoints, guidelines, and policies for the lastover 20 years, which identify OVs as an integral part of the Vietnamese nation.

Over the past years, the community has continually beengrowing, from 2.7 million in 2003 to more than 5.3 million in 130 countriesand territories in 2022, with over 80% in developed nations.

He said the OV community is being diversified, includingstudents, migrant workers, and those marrying foreigners, while their legalstatus, economic conditions, role, and reputation in the host countries havealso been improved.

They are also becoming more confident and further aware oftheir role in contributing to the homeland, he noted.

Reviewing recent meetings between Vietnamese and Cambodianleaders, Uch Leang said that at those events, Vietnamese leaders often askedCambodia to assist the Vietnamese citizens living and working in the country, supportthose scammed to Cambodia, and continue helping Vietnamese-Cambodians tosettle down and integrate into the local society so that they can serve as afriendship bridge linking the two countries.

In response, the Cambodian side affirmed the stance onstrengthening the countries’ solidarity under the motto of “goodneighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, andlong-term sustainability”. It also pledged to assist Vietnamese-Cambodians aswell as citizens of other countries, according to the article.

The expert held that the enhancement and expansion of thegreat solidarity among the people, along with that between the Vietnamese at homeand abroad has created positive improvements to the OV community and encouragedthem to uphold patriotism and mutual support.

That has clearly reflected the Vietnamese Party and State’ssense of responsibility towards the community and also demonstrated the country’sopen policy for its people abroad, Uch Leang added./.