Overseas Vietnamese conference 2016 draws over 500 delegates

PANO – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in association with the Ho Chi Minh City Municipal People’s Committee, opened the Overseas Vietnamese Conference 2016 themed “Overseas Vietnamese Join Hands to Build Ho Chi Minh City to Develop Rapidly, Sustainably and with International Integration,” on November 12 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Present at the conference  were Deputy Prime Minister (PM) and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh; Head of the Mass Mobilization Commission of the Party Central Committee; Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Party Committee; and 500 overseas Vietnamese from 40 countries and territories across  the world.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh opening the conference

Addressing the opening session, Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh warmly welcomed more than 500 participating overseas Vietnamese, who have returned to their home country for the gathering. The senior official said that this is the first time the Foreign Ministry has held a meeting only for the overseas Vietnamese of the Ho Chi Minh City origin as the city has always been the engine for the country in the open-door and international integration process.

The regional and global situation has experienced quick and complex changes but peace, development, international integration and economic connection remain major inevitable trends in the world.

The Deputy PM held that, although Vietnam has obtained remarkable achievements over the past 30 years of reform (Doi Moi), the country is facing big challenges. To overcome them, the Government is stepping up economic restructure in association with shifting the growth model, raising national competitiveness, the competitiveness of businesses, labor productivity and quality of human resources, and accelerating international integration in all areas with a focus on economic integration and realization of the signed free trade agreements, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh talking with overseas Vietnamese

Affirming that overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part of the nation, the Deputy PM said, the country needed intellect, knowledge, experience and energy of overseas Vietnamese for national construction and development. Although overseas Vietnamese come from different countries with their rich knowledge and plentiful experience in various areas, they all have in common their invaluable and honorable hearts to their home country’s prosperity, Deputy PM Minh noted.

He asked overseas Vietnamese to discuss potentials, opportunities as well as challenges of Ho Chi Minh City in particular and Vietnam in general, and to propose feasible ideas and approaches in each area.

Their ideas and opinions will contribute to the Party, State and Ho Chi Minh City to building mechanisms, crafting policies and taking measures for socio-economic development in the coming time, the Deputy PM affirmed.

During the conference, delegates are focusing on 4 main subjects: First, overseas Vietnamese with Ho Chi Minh City’s sustainable development; second, overseas Vietnamese with Ho Chi Minh City’s human resources development; third, overseas Vietnamese with Ho Chi Minh City’s development of science and technology, and knowledge-based economy; fourth, overseas Vietnamese’ participation in investing in and developing trade and services of Ho Chi Minh City.

Within the framework of the conference, a special exchange “The Prime Minister with outstanding overseas Vietnamese experts, scholars and businesses” took place on November 12 afternoon.

Overseas Vietnamese delegates expressed their delight at the country’s socio-economic development and achievements in international integration.

They also pointed out that the economy is facing a number of challenges, such as rising public debt, low level of science and technology, domestic businesses short of international integration skills and knowledge and low productivity level.

Overseas Vietnamese scholars, experts and businessmen proposed the Government to pay sufficient attention to data management, to connect between training institutions and businesses, to avoid spreading out investment, to step up administrative reform and improve investment policy to attract more foreign investors, and effectively renew education and training in line with the development of businesses and in response to the requirements for practical development of the country.

Talking with the overseas Vietnamese delegates at the exchange, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated the delegates’ opinions, ideas, suggestions and proposals, saying that this demonstrated the love and responsibility of overseas Vietnamese for the country. To reach the development targets of Ho Chi Minh City and the country, the PM stressed the need to bring into play the strength of the great national unity of the Vietnamese people, including 4.5 million overseas Vietnamese from various countries across the world.

According to the PM, the Government is determined to renew itself, develop as a clean, active and tectonic government, to perfect institutions, to remove all barriers and obstacles, and strive to provide best services to people and businesses.

The PM called on overseas Vietnamese to join common efforts in building a modern and civilized Ho Chi Minh City.

He confirmed that the Government will always support overseas Vietnamese across the world, wishing them to unite themselves, to succeed in business and life, to keep national traditions in building united Vietnamese communities in foreign countries, to support each other and promote the image of friendly, peace-loving, civilized Vietnamese people, contributing to bolstering friendship between Vietnam and other countries.