On the morning of August 22, in Hanoi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the 4th Conference of Overseas Vietnamese around the world and the Forum of Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Abroad 2024. Also attending were representatives of leaders of ministries, branches, and central agencies; 400 overseas Vietnamese from more than 40 countries and territories.

At the Conference, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said that the Conference of Overseas Vietnamese around the world has been held three times in 2009, 2012, and 2016 with the direct participation of more than 2,000 overseas Vietnamese delegates from many countries and territories, along with representatives of many central and local agencies nationwide.

Through 3 times of organization, the Conference has created a forum for in-depth exchange between overseas Vietnamese and domestic Vietnamese on strategic issues in building and protecting the Fatherland and contents related to the overseas Vietnamese community, truly becoming the "Dien Hong Conference" of overseas Vietnamese. Valuable opinions and many policy recommendations of overseas Vietnamese have been received, studied and transformed into policies and legal regulations by domestic authorities.

The clear evidence is that a series of new policies in the fields of identity, land, housing, real estate business, etc. have been issued to create favorable conditions for people returning to the country to live, work, invest, and do business, aiming to ensure the rights of Vietnamese citizens abroad are equivalent to those of people in the country.

Since the 3rd Conference (2016), the world and regional situations and the situation of the Vietnamese community abroad have undergone many dramatic changes. The factors of instability, insecurity and uncertainty in the world and regional situations have had a strong and profound impact, even disrupting the lives of our people. In addition, the development of the knowledge economy and the fourth industrial revolution have posed new requirements for the work of Vietnamese people abroad.

In that context, it is a great pride to see the community growing strongly in both quantity and quality. From about 4.5 million people in 109 countries and territories in 2016, there are now more than 6 million people living and working in 130 countries and territories. Of which, the number of people with a university degree or higher accounts for about 10%, equivalent to 600,000 people.

In most areas where Vietnamese people live, associations have been established. Associations of Vietnamese businessmen, experts and intellectuals regularly have activities connecting with the country, forming a widespread network, linking Vietnamese people both at home and abroad. Overseas Vietnamese are increasingly affirming their role and position in the local society. Some people of Vietnamese origin have deeply participated in the local political system at all levels; many Vietnamese businessmen are on the list of billionaires in the world; many overseas experts, intellectuals and artists have been honored at international awards, contributing to the glory of Vietnam's reputation and position. At the same time, overseas Vietnamese are also one of the bridges, contributing more and more proactively and positively to promoting multi-faceted cooperation between the host country and the homeland.

In particular, overseas Vietnamese have become an important resource in the process of building and developing the country. Over the past 30 years, the total amount of remittances sent back to the country has reached more than 200 billion USD, equivalent to the amount of foreign direct investment disbursement in the same period.

By the end of 2023, overseas Vietnamese had invested in 421 foreign direct investment projects with a total registered capital of 1.72 billion USD; along with thousands of enterprises with investment capital from Vietnamese people residing abroad. These are quantifiable numbers, besides there are many contributions of gray matter and intelligence that cannot be measured.

The 4th Conference of Overseas Vietnamese around the world took place in the context that our entire nation is making efforts and accelerating to successfully achieve the goals of the Resolution The 13th Party Congress strives to turn our country into a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030 and a developed country with high income by 2045. To realize these goals, the important contribution of the community of more than 6 million of our compatriots abroad is indispensable.

Therefore, this year's Conference chose the theme "Overseas Vietnamese join hands to realize the aspiration for national development" with many new points and expectations. For the first time within the framework of the Conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs chaired and coordinated with relevant agencies to organize the Forum of Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Abroad. This was the direct instruction of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh within the framework of his official visit to Australia and New Zealand in March this year, demonstrating the Prime Minister's deep concern for the work of overseas Vietnamese.

The forum will be an opportunity for overseas experts and intellectuals to discuss development trends in the world and the region; give advice on green and sustainable development issues of the country; expand the Innovation Network... In addition, within the framework of the 4th Conference, there will be 4 thematic sessions taking place in parallel this afternoon, including "Overseas Vietnamese and the development of high technology in Vietnam", "Overseas Vietnamese enterprises and entrepreneurs accompanying the country", "Great national unity, association work and the role of the young generation of overseas Vietnamese", "Overseas Vietnamese - Ambassadors of Vietnamese culture and language".

Notably, for the first time, a number of overseas Vietnamese associations joined domestic agencies in chairing and running a number of thematic sessions on high-tech fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, etc. This demonstrates the proactive and active role of overseas Vietnamese, not only as beneficiaries of policies but also as the subjects implementing work for overseas Vietnamese. On the sidelines of the Conference, the Organizing Committee arranged for delegates to visit the High-Tech Park, the National Innovation Center and visit a number of historical and cultural relics in Hanoi.

The Minister expects that the 4th Conference, focusing on the Forum of Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Abroad in 2024, will be a "Dien Hong Conference", focusing on collective intelligence, increasing national solidarity, promoting resources, potentials, and strengths of overseas Vietnamese for the development of the country, so that our compatriots at home and abroad can join hands to realize the aspiration of developing a prosperous and happy country.

The conference heard presentations by Mr. Hoang Dinh Thang, member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Chairman of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe; Mr. Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, overseas Vietnamese in the Philippines, Chairman of the Imex Pan Pacific Group on the aspirations and recommendations of the overseas Vietnamese community to the leaders of the Party and State.

* Following the Conference, the 2024 Overseas Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Forum was opened with the theme "Overseas intellectuals and experts give advice on green and sustainable development issues of the country".

The forum heard a speech by Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat on "Strategy for developing science, technology and innovation to 2030 to serve the country's development needs and proposals for the participation of overseas Vietnamese"; a speech by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc on "Towards a sustainable development future - Green development and the role of the Vietnamese business community and intellectuals abroad"; a speech by Mr. Pham Quang Hieu, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan: "Promoting the creativity of the Vietnamese community in Japan, promoting exchanges and cooperation in the host country and towards the development of the homeland and the country"; a speech by a representative of overseas intellectuals: Dr. Le Viet Quoc (AI researcher at Google Corporation) on "Development trends of artificial intelligence in the world and proposals for Vietnam",...