“We have been trying our best to create the most favourable conditions so that Vietnamese nationals who want to live and work in Vietnam really feel at home,” said Ta Quang Ngoc, Chief of the Economic-Scientific-Technological Office under the Overseas Vietnamese Committee when asked about overseas national work. Reporter: Do you think more Vietnamese nationals will come back home to enjoy the Lunar New Year Festival (Tet)?
Mr. Ngoc: The number of Vietnamese nationals returning home for the Lunar New Year Festival may be larger than last year’s figure of 500,000. The remittance has exceeded US $5 billion. I think there are a lot of reasons why overseas Vietnamese are rushing back home. First, economic growth remains high. Second, the procedures for the visa applications have become much easier, and in particular, Vietnam’s image and status have been much improved this year and Vietnam has been highlighted in many different international arenas, which has surely brought pride to Vietnamese people overseas.
However, some may not want to apply for the visa exemption as the procedures take so much time. Still, the visa exemption policy only has made Vietnamese nationals who are intending to go home feel much better.
Reporter: What areas do you think the State policy will call on Vietnamese nationals to focus their cooperation and investment on the domestic market in 2008?
Mr. Ngoc: Our country has a high demand for expertise in new technologies, and knowledgeable people for education and training. Knowledge of management is also especially in demand. Vietnam is trying to develop high-tech industries and accelerate the industrialisation and modernisation process so we need the intellectual resources to serve education and training and scientific research. We welcome all scientists, professors and experts to Vietnam to work and cooperate.
Reporter: What do you think would have the biggest affect on overseas Vietnamese experts and scholars’ decisions to work permanently in Vietnam?
Mr. Ngoc: State policies will evidently have a considerable effect on their decisions. As far as I know some overseas Vietnamese have already bought houses in Vietnam. They may be waiting for other policies to permit them to legitimately own the property they bought. They will then feel more comfortable and convenient and more people may decide to work and live permanently in Vietnam. I think the potential for overseas Vietnamese is large and their intellectual contribution to the country could be more valuable than remittances.
Reporter: Thank you!
Source: TT
Translated by Thu Nguyen