Delegates taking part in the conference on promoting resources of overseas Vietnamese and connect localities and businesses, held in Hải Phòng City on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HẢI PHÒNG — A conference seeking ways to promote resources of overseas Vietnamese (OVs) and connect localities and businesses was held in the northern port city of Hải Phòng on Wednesday.

The event attracted the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang, Secretary of the Hải Phòng municipal Party Committee Lê Tiến Châu, representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Việt Nam and Laos, National Assembly agencies, the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee, and 29 provinces and cities. It also saw leaders of enterprises and business associations and over 100 OVs from 22 countries and territories.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy PM Quang said that amid complex developments of the world political and economic situations, thanks to the sound and prompt leadership of the Party and the drastic engagement of ministries, sectors and localities, and the solidarity and efforts of the entire nation, Việt Nam has reaped great achievements.

The important results have also been contributed by the OV community, he stressed.

Appreciating the initiative to organise the conference by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People’s Committee of Hải Phòng City, the Deputy PM affirmed that its theme of connecting OVs with businesses and localities as well as discussion contents related to green investment, human resources development and supply chains conform with the Government’s current priorities.

He asked relevant agencies to listen to and acquire ideas and recommendations of OVs so as to promote their resources to better serve the national building and development.

According to statistics until the end of 2022, overseas Vietnamese from 35 countries and territories have invested in 385 FDI projects in 42 out of 63 provinces and cities in Việt Nam. The total registered capital for these projects reaches US$1.72 billion, contributing to promoting socio-economic development, creating employment opportunities for local people, and increasing tax revenue for the State budget.

The remittance amount sent to the country from 1993 (the first year remittances were recorded) to 2022 has reached over $190 billion, nearly equal to the disbursed FDI capital during the same period, according to Deputy PM Quang.

Lê Thị Thu Hằng, deputy foreign minister and chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, said that the OV community has truly become a valuable and potential resource, and the Party and State always treasure and appreciate its contributions, and pay attention to supporting and creating favourable conditions for them to stabilise their lives and contribute to the homeland.

Over 10-12 per cent of the six million overseas Vietnamese hold a degree higher than bachelor's degree, or about 600,000 people, making them an important source of high-quality human resources.

About 130,000-150,000 Vietnamese workers are going abroad for works on a yearly basis, contributing huge financial resources, and also contributing to the local workforce when they return.

Overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs are also enjoying increasing economic power and influence not only to the local community but also to the local authorities, Hằng noted. — VNS