Hanoi (VNA) –𓂃 Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) suggested the Government invest in science and technology to support the nation’s green and sustainable development while attending the 2024 Forum of OV Intellectuals and Experts held as part of the 4th World Conference of OVs on August 22.

Chairman of Inmex Pan Pacific Group Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, an OV in the Philippines, said Vietnam has made major strides in the acceleration of digital transformation. He said, however, that the country needs to outline planning for technology clusters with modern digital infrastructure developed in major cities, and key economic zones where enterprises and tech startups could share knowledge, and cooperate. He suggested further incentives should be put in place for projects in national database infrastructure, AI development, and semiconductors, while high-quality human resources training programmes should be accelerated. “We should pen special mechanisms to promote the development of tech incubators and venture funds as they are the key to the innovation ecosystem that facilitates the creation of new technologies and commercialization of the products”, Nguyen stated.

In the same vein, Dr. Le Viet Quoc from Google held that Vietnam should focus on developing AI applications, and set ambitious targets for using them in public healthcare, transportation, and many other fields. The AI development trend, he said, will displace traditional jobs. However, it’s also an opportunity for Vietnam to move forward, and develop in tandem with the intelligence. He stressed that the country should invest big in AI, particularly building an Asia-level university with intensive AI curricula to train high-quality human resources.

Developing a diverse and strong startup ecosystem will help the nation capitalise on its labour force, he said, recommending the establishment of a senior advisory council on the booming chip and AI sectors.

Speaking at the forum, Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat expressed his hope that OV intellectuals and experts will help contribute to the homeland’s advancement in science, technology, and innovation by providing expertise in shifting to a productivity and innovation-based economy. He also suggested OVs share practical experience from developed countries, help the Government to lure foreign investment in science-technology and innovation, as well as propose state management work over innovation activities. Over the past years, people-to-people diplomacy has contributed to enhancing the friendship between Vietnam and foreign countries, safeguarding the nation’s interests, and popularising Vietnam, as well as the Party and State’s policies. The OV community, with more than 6 million people living in 130 countries and territories, has played an important role in the people-to-people diplomacy, and mobilised external resources for the fatherland’s sustainable development, according to the minister. In his speech at the forum, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu stressed the significant role of the OVs in promoting exchange and cooperation with the host nation, and developing the homeland. The embassy in Japan has strengthened solidarity among the OVs, and encouraged individuals, businesses and associations to engage in the homeland’s development programmes, as well as bolster cooperation between the two nations in such strategic areas as digital transformation, AI, semiconductors, and high technology.

Through three editions in 2009, 2012 and 2016, the 4th World Conference of OVs has created a venue for OVs and their peers at home to discuss strategic matters in national construction and defense as well as issues related to the Vietnamese community abroad. According to Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, the community has grown strongly over the years, from about 4.5 million people in 109 countries and territories in 2016, to more than 6 million people in 130 countries and territories. In the past 30 years, the total remittances to the country reached more than 200 billion USD, equivalent to the amount of foreign direct investment disbursed in the same period. By the end of 2023, OVs had invested in 421 foreign direct investment projects at home with a total registered capital of 1.72 billion USD. Thousands of enterprises were funded by OVs, suggesting their contributions in brainpower are uncountable and invaluable./.