With the spirit of "joining hands, accompanying and being creative", the Vietnamese community abroad is considered a valuable resource and an effective distribution channel in promoting exports, thereby promoting culture and enhancing Vietnam's economic position.

Proudly introducing Vietnamese products

With about 4.5 million people in 109 countries and territories in 2016, there are now over 6 million Vietnamese people living and working in over 130 countries and territories. Along with the strong development of the Vietnamese community abroad, the number of Vietnamese entrepreneurs and businesses abroad has also increased significantly.

From small businesses, Vietnamese businessmen and enterprises abroad are now the owners of many large commercial centers, as well as establishing many distribution channels, wholesale and retail of goods, including Vietnamese goods. At the same time, about 6 million people are living, working and studying, not only a large number of consumers of Vietnamese goods but also people who contribute to spreading and introducing Vietnamese products to the local community where they live.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Hue (Peter Hong), Member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs Abroad (BAOOV), the correct policies and guidelines have promptly opened a new strategic direction in promoting exports and building the Vietnamese national brand in the international market, through mobilizing the strength of the Vietnamese community abroad. From those effective policies and guidelines, every Vietnamese person, no matter where they live in the world, can proudly use and introduce a "made by Vietnam" product to international friends and consumers.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Hue proposed to continue having specific policies for the young generation of overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs to participate in the ecosystem of developing Vietnamese goods; organizing global startup competitions with business models associated with Vietnamese products for overseas Vietnamese youth; connecting with investment funds and incubators in Vietnam, especially in potential fields such as agricultural products, handicrafts, fashion and green technology... not only contributing to the development of Vietnamese goods in the markets but also sustainable development among the young generations of overseas Vietnamese.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Vo Van Nam, a Czech expatriate, Deputy General Director of Tamda Group as said that from the effectiveness of the Project, the number of Vietnamese goods sold through the Group's system has increased 2-3 times in the past 5 years; contributing to spreading Vietnamese goods to more than 10,000 Vietnamese retail stores across the Czech Republic and Slovakia... and tens of thousands of local customers buying retail at shopping centers and Tamda supermarket systems every day.

Not only promoting the role of the state, associations, industries, and businesses abroad in bringing goods abroad, overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic want to focus on supporting the training of human resources who are the 2nd and 3rd generations born abroad... to have the opportunity to intern at Vietnamese enterprises to update goods, technology, and policies to support the promotion of Vietnamese goods by enterprises and the state. Along with that, focusing on promoting Vietnamese goods abroad with a focus and key points to spread and introduce Vietnamese products to the local communities where they live.

Breakthrough effort

Over the past 5 years, the Project "Mobilizing Vietnamese people abroad to participate in introducing, consuming products and developing distribution channels for Vietnamese goods abroad, period 2020 - 2024" has been implemented strongly, comprehensively and effectively. This is one of the important policies of our Party and State, not only contributing to promoting the country's economic and trade development through goods export activities but also contributing to affirming the brand and quality of Vietnamese products, demonstrating the image and "soft" value of Vietnam in the international arena.

"After 5 years of implementation, the Project has achieved many positive results in terms of propaganda, product promotion and export promotion," said Nguyen Trung Kien, Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese.

Accordingly, the implementation of the Project has created an effective connection network between domestic enterprises, state management agencies and the overseas Vietnamese community. This is a breakthrough effort, because overseas Vietnamese are not only potential consumers but also an important bridge to bring Vietnamese goods to international markets.

Agricultural products such as coffee, cashew nuts, dragon fruit, mangoes, etc., along with industrial products such as textiles, handicrafts and processed foods, have been widely introduced in key markets such as the United States, the European Union (EU), Japan, Korea, China, etc. In addition to expanding product groups with a history of trade, Vietnamese businesses abroad aim to expand new agricultural products, spices, etc.

In 2019 - the first year of implementing the Project, Vietnam's total import-export turnover reached 516.96 billion USD. By the end of 2024, the total import-export turnover reached 786.29 billion USD. Vietnamese goods are increasingly spreading in markets, partly thanks to the important contribution of the Vietnamese community present in countries around the world, important partner countries and markets of Vietnam.

In the context of the world and the region continuing to fluctuate in a complex manner, the country is striving to achieve the GDP growth target of 8% by 2025, the achievements achieved through the implementation of the Project are meaningful and valuable, contributing directly to maintaining stable export growth as well as the country's overall economic growth, encouraging the overseas Vietnamese community to promote 'soft values' in promoting the national brand in the international market - Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien commented.

It can be said that since the early days of the country's founding, our overseas Vietnamese have actively contributed to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. The Party and the State have always valued the contributions and resources of the overseas Vietnamese community. Many policies and guidelines have been adopted by the Party and the State, with the consistent spirit that overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part and a resource of the Vietnamese ethnic community, and an important factor contributing to strengthening the cooperative relationship between our country and other countries in the world.

With the consensus and joint efforts of over 100 million Vietnamese people, including 6 million overseas Vietnamese who are growing stronger day by day, we will contribute to realizing the development goals and aspirations of the nation, making the country develop faster and more sustainably.