The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to overseas Vietnamese affairs, which contribute to reinforcing national unity, State President Nguyen Minh Triet said at a conference in Hanoi on Nov. 21.

Addressing the first conference for overseas Vietnamese, which drew 1,500 delegates, including about 900 expatriates, President Triet said the Vietnamese Party and State will try their best to implement overseas Vietnamese affairs effectively by providing them with necessary information, protecting their legitimate rights and helping them to preserve national customs and traditions, particularly the use of the Vietnamese language abroad.

The State leader highlighted significant achievements the country has recorded after more than 20 years of Doi Moi (renewal) process. He said Vietnam has posted a year-on-year economic growth rate and maintained political stability – its strong point compared to other countries in the world. Progress has been made in cultural and social areas, people’s living standards have been improved remarkably, and Vietnam ’s prestige and status have been raised in the international arena.

“Today, we are proud of being able to walk abreast with other powers in the world and have a strong voice in international forums,” President Triet said.

He also pointed weaknesses in socio-economic development that Vietnam needs to resolve in the future.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem said that the conference is a major forum for Vietnamese residents abroad and State agencies to exchange their opinions on policies for overseas Vietnamese to devise appropriate policies in the future.

It also aims to praise collectives and individuals for their outstanding achievements in overseas Vietnamese affairs, the Deputy PM said.

About 4 million of Vietnamese nationals are living and studying in 101 nations and territories around the world, Nguyen Thanh Son, Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, said in a report delivered at the conference.

About 500,000 overseas Vietnamese return home each year to conduct research or invest in Vietnam . Overseas Vietnamese have invested in 3,000 projects capitalised at 2 billion USD in Vietnam . Remittance to the homeland by the overseas Vietnamese community rose 10-20 percent every year, reaching 7.4 billion USD in 2008, he added.

Overseas delegates highly valued the Party and State’s policies to overseas Vietnamese and expressed their desires towards the homeland by practical activities.

Cao Van San, a Vietnamese in Thailand , spoke highly of the initiative to hold the meeting, describing it as an encouragement to overseas Vietnamese and their national pride and patriotism.

Prof. Nguyen Dang Hung, an expatriate in Belgium , expressed his hope that delegates will contribute opinions to national development policies at the conference. He also said he decided to return to Vietnam and open two high education training centres at the universities of technology in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City .

As a member of the Vietnamese entrepreneurs’ association in Canada and Vice President of the overseas Vietnamese businesspeople club, Phung Kim Vy commented that overseas Vietnamese businesspeople have been provided with more favourable conditions when investing in Vietnam .

Artist Alain Vu, who live in France , said that the State should accelerate exchanges among the Vietnamese community at home and abroad to help the expatriates access and better understand their homeland’s cultural identity.

Phung Tue Chau, Director of Radio Tieng que huong (Voice of Native Land) in the US , said that the radio was set up to introduce policies and guidelines of the Party and State as well as the country’s development achievements.

During the conference from Nov. 21-23, the delegates will focus their discussions on preserving and promoting cultural identity and traditions in the overseas Vietnamese community, boosting the overseas Vietnamese community’s solidarity and strength, and contributions of expatriate intellectuals and businessmen to national construction./.