President Truong Tan Sang has emphasised the need to remove all obstacles without delay to promote the potential of overseas Vietnamese (OV) communities at a conference in Hanoi to review 10 years of implementing the Politburo’s resolution on affairs relating to the expatriates.

At the May 20 meeting, the President reiterated that the Party, State and Government consider the Vietnamese community living abroad as an indispensable part of the country, and emphasised the leaders’ willingness to listen to recommendations and comments from all people.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said the event was to review achievements and weaknesses over the past ten years as well as discuss how to maximise the strength of national unity so that it is supported by the 4.5 million Vietnamese people living and studying aboard.

This is a chance to recognise the OVs’ contributions to turning Vietnam into a modern industrialised country by 2020 and creating a strong, democratic, just, and civilised nation, he said.

At the meeting, participants discussed the improvement of policy and law systems to meet the practical interests of the OVs, the protection of Vietnamese citizens and legal entities and their legitimate rights in foreign countries. They also talked about the provision of information to overseas communities and the teaching and learning the Vietnamese language.

According to a report by the Foreign Ministry’s State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, the implementation of the Politburo’s resolution has obtained encouraging results, contributing to the country’s achievements. The OV-related policy system has been improved, creating conditions for the support of the community’s legal position in foreign countries.-VNA