PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the conference (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam’s development potential and resources lay not only in the S-shaped country but also in many other places around the globe, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said, implying Vietnamese expatriates who attended a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on November 12.
The meeting for overseas Vietnamese (OVs), the first of its kind held specifically for the southern city, drew 500 OVs from 35 countries and territories. It aimed to mobilise OVs’ resources for HCM City’s transformation to a growth engine of Vietnam and a major economic and sci-tech hub in Southeast Asia.
The Government leader appreciated OVs’ efforts and contributions to the national development and protection.
Vietnam always opens its arms to OVs to return and contribute their ideas and resources to the national development, he said, adding that the country is proud of the expatriate intellectuals in developed countries who have enjoyed the best conditions to access the world’s advanced technology and knowledge and then assisted the homeland in speeding up development
He also described OVs as cultural ambassadors of Vietnam who help enhance its friendship with other nations.
In his speech, PM Phuc applauded efforts calling for OVs’ contribution to national development. As a result, many overseas Vietnamese companies have partnered with domestic firms to export Vietnam’s products and services, or set up businesses in the homeland. A number of expatriates have been involved in research activities, scientific-technological application, education-training, and social projects.
Notably, overseas remittances to Vietnam have been continually rising, reaching 12.5 billion USD in 2015, ranking 11th in the world and increasing by over 1.5 times from 8 billion USD in 2010, according to the World Bank.
He underlined the need to optimise the strength of the great national unity bloc, including more than 4.5 million OVs, when talking about the country’s efforts to proactively integrate into the globalisation and HCM City’s importance in Vietnam’s economic growth.
The PM called on all expatriates to join hands in developing a HCM City of civilisation, modernity and attentiveness.
The Government is push forward with an action programme on OV-related works for 2016-2020. Accordingly, ministries, sectors and localities are going to strengthen cooperation and take concrete actions to effectively bring into play OVs’ resources, helping to realise socio-economic development targets, he added.
Also on November 12, PM Phuc and Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met with outstanding OVs who are experts, intellectuals and entrepreneurs.
The expatriates shared their viewpoints and ideas about various issues relating to the national development which were appreciated by the Government leader, who promised to take in all the opinions and task ministries and localities with creating more favourable conditions for OVs to devote themselves to the homeland.-VNA
