Washington, D.C (VNA) – Within the framework of the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the Vietnamese community in the US serves as a “dual bridge” with three key roles, according to Dr. Huynh The Du, Chair of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Vietnamese Professionals and Students in the US.
First, it serves as a bridge for technology and innovation. Vietnamese entrepreneurs and engineers in Silicon Valley and other major technology hubs can connect venture capital, support technology commercialisation, and facilitate knowledge transfer to Vietnam.
Second, the community serves as a bridge for people-to-people diplomacy and policy credibility. The growing social standing and professional reputation of Vietnamese expatriates can help strengthen strategic trust between the two governments and provide objective policy perspectives.
Third, Vietnamese experts in healthcare, education and law can contribute to raising institutional capacity in Vietnam and promoting its integration with global professional standards, according to Du.
He described Vietnamese students and researchers in the US as “knowledge ambassadors” and a direct link between the two countries’ education and innovation ecosystems.
Vietnam should prioritise four strategic technology areas when building cooperation networks, he recommended, elaborating that the first is semiconductor and microchip technology, involving collaborative training for a high-quality engineering workforce—spanning stages from design and testing to participation in the supply chain.
Next are artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, with applications in public administration, finance, and healthcare, alongside the development of data governance frameworks. The third area comprises green transition technologies and renewable energy, supporting Net Zero commitments, sustainable infrastructure development, and climate change adaptation. The fourth covers biotechnology and advanced medicine, focusing on medical technology transfer and public healthcare.
To turn the intellectual potential of the Vietnamese community in the US into tangible resources, Du said cooperation should be based on specific tasks and mutual benefits. This could include commissioning experts for specific projects, policy advice, and joint research from afar, while creating more flexible mechanisms for short-term visiting appointments and sabbaticals.
He also proposed developing joint labs connecting Vietnamese laboratories with research teams led by Vietnamese professors and experts in the US, helping young researchers in Vietnam gain exposure to international standards.
Du expressed his hope that the just-ended trip to the US by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam will generate concrete outcomes, particularly in education and science – technology cooperation, including scholarships, joint research projects, funding commitments and high-tech human resources training in semiconductors and AI.
The expert also expected the trip to help concretise supply-chain commitments, advance the recognition of Vietnam as a market economy and facilitate high-tech investment from the US.
Emphasising the importance of strengthening trust and inspiring a spirit of contribution, he said direct meetings with high-level leaders could reinforce the great national solidarity and create a trusted environment for Vietnamese intellectuals abroad to make long-term contributions to the homeland./.
