Having lived abroad for nearly 40 years, including more than 20 years of direct investment in Viet Nam, Nguyen Hoai Bac, an overseas Vietnamese in Canada and currently Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam–Canada Business Association, expressed his satisfaction with the growing strength of the overseas Vietnamese community. Expanding significantly in both scale and quality, the overseas Vietnamese community now comprises nearly 6.5 million people living and working in more than 130 countries and territories, about 80% of whom reside in developed countries; approximately 10% are intellectuals and scientists.
Cumulatively, remittances sent home by overseas Vietnamese during the 1993–2024 period exceeded 246 billion USD, equivalent to the total disbursed foreign direct investment (FDI) over the same timeframe. Beyond remittances, by the end of 2024, overseas Vietnamese from 34 countries and territories had invested in 442 projects in Viet Nam, with total registered capital of 1.725 billion USD, making a significant contribution to the country’s socio-economic development.
These figures reflect the outcomes of ongoing efforts by the Party and the State to improve policies toward the overseas Vietnamese community, with Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW serving as a key milestone. According to Nguyen Hoai Bac, one of the most important aspects of the Resolution is its consistent affirmation that overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation and an important national resource. This principle has laid the groundwork for the formulation and implementation of policies ranging from citizen protection for overseas Vietnamese to regulations facilitating their visits home, investment, production, and business activities in Viet Nam.
On December 25 in Ha Noi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with relevant Party committees, ministries, sectors, and localities, convened a national conference to review the implementation of Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW (2004) and related directives issued by the Politburo and the Secretariat on work related to overseas Vietnamese. Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung emphasised that the achievements attained in this field are the result of the concerted efforts of the entire political system and the people at home, vividly demonstrating the strength of the great national unity bloc.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to thoroughly implement the directives of the Party and the Government, closely coordinate with ministries, sectors, localities, and the overseas Vietnamese community, and renew its mindset and methods of implementation. Efforts will focus on addressing existing limitations and challenges, improving the quality and effectiveness of work related to overseas Vietnamese, and further promoting their role, potential, and significant contributions to national construction and defense, as well as enhancing Viet Nam’s position and prestige on the international stage.
