Hanoi (VNA) — The Party and State’s growing openness and genuine willingness to listen have created a “new momentum” for overseas Vietnamese, particularly intellectuals, to contribute to national development, according to Le Duc Anh, Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals in Japan.
Speaking to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Tokyo, he said that Vietnamese intellectuals in Japan are undergoing a strong shift - from offering policy advice to actively accompanying and participating in the implementation of major strategic goals for a strong and prosperous Vietnam.
Based on his direct involvement in the association’s activities, he noted that in recent years the Party and State have demonstrated a clear spirit of openness, receptiveness and practicality in engaging with overseas Vietnamese, especially intellectuals. Dialogue mechanisms and forums have become increasingly diverse and more specialised, focusing on key areas such as science and technology, higher education, digital transformation, the semiconductor industry and artificial intelligence (AI).
According to the association’s representative, the fact that Party and State leaders have directly met and exchanged views with overseas Vietnamese intellectuals through expert conferences, working visits to Japan, and connection programmes organised by Vietnamese embassies and ministries has reinforced the perception that their opinions are being taken seriously.
Notably, many recommendations related to high-quality human resource training, research cooperation models, and mechanisms for mobilising overseas Vietnamese expertise have received positive feedback and have gradually been translated into concrete programmes and projects.
He said the Vietnamese intellectual community in Japan, and overseas Vietnamese more broadly, have responded enthusiastically to the Party and State’s policies on mobilising overseas Vietnamese resources. This response has become increasingly proactive, sustained and professional, driven not only by emotional ties to the homeland but also by a desire to contribute effectively and substantively.
A key factor bolstering this spirit is Japan’s strong goodwill in cooperating with Vietnam in developing strategic technologies, particularly semiconductors and AI. This cooperation is reflected in long-term training and research programmes, most notably the NEXUS scholarship programme, under which Japan has committed to training around 500 Vietnamese doctoral candidates in semiconductor-related fields. The programme has entered its first year of implementation, involving leading Japanese universities and research institutes and industry partners.
In this context, the Vietnamese Intellectuals Association in Japan plays an important role in connecting, coordinating and inspiring contributions. Many Vietnamese experts working in Japan have proactively formed liaison networks and specialised groups to ensure cooperation is substantive, well-matched and aligned with Vietnam’s development needs.
Looking ahead, the representative suggested that Vietnamese intellectuals in Japan should focus on areas where Japan has strong advantages and Vietnam has strategic demand, including semiconductors, AI, new materials, green energy, biotechnology and internationally standardised higher education.
The association, he added, aims to shift from connection to close partnership, and from dialogue to joint implementation of concrete projects, ensuring that overseas Vietnamese intellectuals link their professional expertise and civic responsibility with Vietnam’s development journey./.
