VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese residents in other countries are an indispensable part and a great strength of the Vietnamese nation, playing an important role in consolidating and strengthening friendship and cooperation with their resident countries, said PM Nguyen Tan Dung in a meeting with staffs of the Vietnamese Embassy in the US and Vietnamese-Americans in Washington DC on June 24.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung talked with a Vietnamese American businesswoman from Winconsin (photo: Phuong Loan)

Speaking at the meeting, PM Nguyen Tan Dung informed overseas Vietnamese of the country’s socio-economic development, outstanding achievements and changes as well as difficulties that Vietnam and many other countries in the world are facing.

He asserted that Vietnam’s socio-economic situation would see positive changes thanks to the prompt and suitable measures being carried out by the government.

He noted the great progress in the bilateral relationship with the US, especially in trade and education. With the Vietnam-US bilateral trade agreement in effect, trade turnover reached $12 billion in 2008, eight times more than in 2001, an increase of 40%/year on average.

He added that he was happy to see the development of the overseas Vietnamese community in the US, and that he hoped they would invest in Vietnam. “Vietnam always opens its doors to welcome overseas Vietnamese because you are an indispensable part of the country,” he added.

Of the 3.2 million overseas Vietnamese in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world, 1.5 million are in the US, more than in any other single nation.

The PM said he appreciated Vietnamese-American’s contributions to the advancement of the constructive, friendly, multi-faceted cooperation of equality, mutual respect and benefits between the US and Vietnam.

He said competent ministries and agencies are revising and drafting more policies to encourage overseas Vietnamese to visit the fatherland, do business, purchase and own houses in Vietnam. The government is drafting a policy on double citizenship for overseas Vietnamese, he added.

The PM also said that some overseas Vietnamese, for some reason, are still misinformed about the fatherland. He expressed his belief that those people would soon adopt sound views towards the homeland. No Vietnamese can remain embittered and bewildered while his whole nation, fatherland and fellowmen have closed the past and joined hands to build a prosperous and powerful Vietnam, said Mr. Dung.

“The Vietnamese Embassy in the US together with other diplomatic representative agencies should make greater efforts for the interests of 1.5 million overseas Vietnamese who are working and studying in the US,” the PM told Vietnamese diplomatic officers.

Henry Luong, a representative of Vietnamese-Americans in Wisconsin, said: “Vietnamese-Americans understand that the burden on the PM’s shoulders is very heavy. We wish to partly contribute to help the national economy and the home country.”

Henry Luong will bring 10 CEOs of Wisconsin to Vietnam in August 2008. They could commit to total investments of $10 billion.

Phuong Loan, Government’s website, CPV