Hanoi (VNA) – The PrimeMinister recently approved a plan on bringing into play resources of overseasVietnamese (OVs) to serve national development in the new context.

In an interview granted to theVietnam News Agency, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, who isalso head of the State Committee for OV Affairs, said the OV community is aprecious and highly potential resource that can make considerable contributionsto national development. There are currently about 6 million OVs in more than130 countries and territories, over 80% of which are developed nations.

OVs have not only integrated into and contributed to theirnew countries, but also helped nurture the friendship and trade ties and popularizeimages of Vietnam abroad, she noted.

She highlighted the four main areasin which OV resources can be mobilised to contribute to the homeland’sdevelopment.

The first is knowledge,science and technology, and high-quality human resources. About 10 - 12% of thecommunity, or 600,000 people, hold bachelor’s or higher degrees.

Many are renowned scientists in newand high technology areas that Vietnam has demand for like informationtechnology, electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing engineering, andbiotechnology. Guest workers of Vietnam with vocational skills and experience alsoform a source of manpower for the homeland after returning from abroad.

The second is the economic resource, Hang continued, noting that present in mostcountries and territories around the world, Vietnamese entrepreneurs boast economic capacity and growing influence on their hostcountries.

Recent statistics show that OVs in 35countries and territories have registered 1.72 billion USD for 385 foreigndirect investment (FDI) projects in 42 of the 63 provinces and cities inVietnam. Their presence can also be found in indirect or domesticinvestments.

Overseas remittances topped 190billion USD between 1993 (the first year it was calculated) and 2022,approximating the sum of FDI disbursed during the period. The figure hasincreased year on year, even amid difficulties caused by the COVID-19pandemic, turning Vietnam into one of the 10 countries with largest overseasremittances.

The third is the “soft” resource. OVsare gaining increasingly firm footholds and further engaging in the politicalsystems at different levels in their host countries such as the US, Germany, Japan,New Zealand, and Australia. The number of Vietnamese or Vietnamese-originpeople holding important positions at international organisations is also onthe rise. This is an important prerequisite helping enhance trust andcooperation between Vietnam and people, politicians, and leaders of othercountries and international organisations.

OVs are also serving as a bridge ofculture, cuisine, and language, contributing to Vietnam’s diplomatic ties,people-to-people ties, and cultural exchanges with others, according to theDeputy FM.

Finally, the community is also acharitable and humanitarian resource. OVs have actively participated in charitable and humanitariancampaigns in the homeland, thereby substantially contributing to povertyreduction, disaster relief, and COVID-19 response.

Hangsaid the freshly approved plan will help mobilise OV resources for nationaldevelopment in the context of enhanced industrialisation and modernisation asVietnam looks to establish itself as a developed and high-income nation by2045.

Itwill promote the awareness of the important role of OVs in national developmentand safeguarding so as to build general, fundamental, and long-term orientations,guidelines, and measures for caring for, attracting, and maximising these resources.

Theplan also identifies tasks for ministries, sectors, and localities, includingcreating a favourable environment for OVs to make contributions. It amends legalregulations to ensure OVs can benefit from a legal environment as equally as peoplein the homeland, and creates a sustainable mechanism to encourage them to contributeto national development.

Itwill also help consolidate and develop the OV network around the world andbring into play OV resources in the long term, the official added./.