Vietnam holds an important place in the hearts and minds of every Vietnamese, particularly those who live far from the homeland. That’s why more and more overseas Vietnamese return to where they were born and grew up and raised to contribute their energy and strength to the country.
Currently, approximately three million Vietnamese nationals (overseas Vietnamese) are residing in nearly 90 countries and territories around the world. In the past two decades, more and more have returned and established businesses in the homeland. In 1987, Vietnam welcomed only 8,000 overseas Vietnamese to the homeland, but the figure increased sharply to 360,000 in 2000 and is expected to rise to 420,000 in 2005. Their significant contributions to the homeland testify to the fact that the Vietnamese community abroad is an indispensable part and a great force of the Vietnamese nation, as well as an important factor in promoting the friendly and co-operative relations between Vietnam and other countries.
Tracing the roots
Professor Nguyen Dang Hung resided in Belgium for 43 years and is head of Belgium’s post-graduate training centre in Vietnam. Over the past nearly 20 years, he has frequently returned to Vietnam to give lectures at universities.
“When I was young, I did not think much about returning to the homeland, but when I became older, my homesickness grew in my mind and I decided to return home,” said Prof. Hung.
Most overseas Vietnamese share Hung’s view. Perhaps, for them the fatherland is part of their bodies and holds a solemn position in their hearts and minds. Ngo Hong Linh, an overseas Vietnamese from Japan, told VOVNews, “Despite having lived far from Vietnam for more than 20 years, I and other overseas Vietnamese in Japan turn our hearts to the fatherland. I realise that the homeland is so important to me, particularly as the Lunar New Year Festival (Tet) approaches. Two of my children are studying in Japan and after graduating, they will definitely return to work in Vietnam.”
Returning to Vietnam, many people bring with them their children in the hope that younger generations will trace their roots and seek to contribute to the homeland. Prof. Hung confided, “Two of my elder sons graduated from university and are holding certain positions in Belgium. They were born and grew up in Belgium and only understood Vietnam through their parents. That’s why every year I bring them back to enjoy the Tet festival in Vietnam.”
According to Professor Nguyen Quy Dao, an overseas Vietnamese in France, whether or not the second and third generations of overseas Vietnamese understand the homeland depends a lot on their parents.
“We wish our successors to turn their hearts and minds and contribute more to the homeland as we do,” said Mr Dao. “If we do not do so, nobody will create links between them and the homeland. Like many other overseas Vietnamese, I bring my family back to Vietnam, especially during the Tet holiday. They are all very happy and want to work in Vietnam in the future.”
Joining hands to build the homeland
“Wherever I go and whatever I do, Vietnam is my only fatherland,” said Dr Hoang Xuan Binh, head of the management board of ASEAN PL Tourism company in Poland, which employs many Vietnamese nationals.
“But I do not mean by only living in Vietnam, I show my feelings towards the homeland,” Binh continued. “Wherever I work, either in Poland or Vietnam, geographical distance means nothing. The most important thing is how to contribute to the fatherland.”
Ngo Hong Linh, an overseas Vietnamese in Japan, invested in the footwear industry in Vietnam for seven years after reaping many successes in Japan. He is now the director of Thien Vinh company located in Hai Phong city. Every year, his company earns more than US$11 million and generates jobs for 1,800 people with a monthly income per capita of between VND800,000-1,000,000.
“I want to introduce Vietnamese goods to international friends and their regular recommendations help me to produce products of higher quality,” Mr Linh told VOVNews.
He said his first shipment was welcomed by foreign customers and his company’s revenue posts a year-on-year increase.
Many overseas Vietnamese intellectuals reluctantly refuse lucrative offers from companies in their resident countries to return to Vietnam, although they anticipate harder working conditions in the country. Dr Nguyen Chanh Khe, an overseas Vietnamese in the US, director of the Hi-tech Park in Ho Chi Minh City is a case in point. After 20 years of living and conducting research overseas, he was one the first scientists in the world to invent nano technology. He refused many offers from US and Japanese companies decided to return to Vietnam.
“My goal is to accumulate and study modern technology overseas and then apply and develop it in Vietnam,” said Prof. Khe. Despite difficulties, with the iron will and determination of the Vietnamese people, I believe that this technology will develop in Vietnam in the near future.”
His idea has received strong support from overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and in recent years and many of them have returned to Vietnam to do business. Accordingly, their investment and remittances have also increased sharply. The National Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs reported that nearly 1,400 overseas Vietnamese-invested projects worth approximately US$1 billion have been established in Vietnam, contributing significantly to national economy. Meanwhile, their remittances reached US$2.6 billion in 2003, US$3 billion in 2004 and an estimated US$4 billion in 2005.
Ngo Hong Linh said that many Party and State policies, particularly the Politburo’s Resolution No 36 and the Government’s action programme on work relating to overseas Vietnamese have encouraged more overseas Vietnamese to return and establish businesses in the country.
“Like the nearly three million overseas Vietnamese around the world, I would like to contribute to national development,” Mr Linh said.
Introducing Vietnam to the world
Dr Nguyen Tri Dzung, an overseas Vietnamese from Japan, is now the rector of Tri Dung private university in Ho Chi Minh City, said he was the first person to register for opening a private university in Vietnam in 1986 when the country began the Doi Moi (Renewal) process. To date, the university has trained more than 30,000 bachelors of art.
“Initially, many people felt worried, but later they began to pour investment into various areas,” said Mr Dzung.
He said many overseas Vietnamese intellectuals welcome the State’s preferential policies to encourage scientists to return to Vietnam to engage in lecturing, researching and transferring scientific and technological advances.
“I think the move is very practical and useful because overseas Vietnamese scientists will serve as a bridge between domestic and overseas scientists. Thanks to this, we have more chances to exchange experiences and encourage more Vietnamese students to study in Japan under scholarship programmes,” said Mr Dzung.
Nguyen Quy Huyen, an overseas Vietnamese in the US, and director general of the Vietnam-US Investment Trade Company, said that cultural exchanges have helped promote mutual understanding between the two countries.
“Under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Information, in 2005 we successfully organised Vietnam Week in Washington, which captured great attention from American friends,” recalled Ms Huyen. “Previously, many American did not know, or knew very little about Vietnam, and some even thought that Vietnam is a poor and war-torn country. Through these cultural activities, they got a better understanding about Vietnam which is developing fast and elevating its position in the world. Many of them said that they would travel and explore investment opportunities in Vietnam in the near future.”
Nguyen Duc Canh, deputy head of the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, and director of the Sapa Trade Centre, said that the business environment has facilitated his operations in Vietnam.
“We (overseas Vietnamese) share the view that Vietnam is a potential market for us and foreign investors,” said Mr Canh. “Vietnam’s policies are now more open and transparent and I think investment in Vietnam will pay dividends. Currently, many overseas Vietnamese from the Czech Republic have invested in Vietnam with some opening noodles and glassy wares plants.”
Obviously, overseas Vietnamese play a very important role in introducing Vietnam to the world and further attracting foreign investment. Mr Canh said to further attract more capital, Vietnam should enhance dissemination work so that overseas Vietnamese can have an overview about the country’s development, as well as policies for investors, in order to build investment strategies in the country.
According to Hoang Xuan Binh, head of the management board of the ASEAN PL TOURISM company in Poland, to attract foreign investors, Vietnam should boost trade promotion, market research and international co-operation in various areas, in addition to improving product quality.
(Source: VOV)
