Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW, issued by the Politburo on August 2, 2026, identifies overseas Vietnamese people as one of the important strategic resources contributing to strengthening the country’s overall national strength; as a bridge between Vietnam and the world; and as partners who accompany and directly contribute to the cause of building, developing, and safeguarding the Fatherland.

With more than 6.5 million Vietnamese living in over 130 countries and territories, the community’s resources are increasingly diverse, ranging from intellectual and scientific and technological expertise to management experience, investment, business, culture, and international networks. The question is how to ensure these resources meet the right needs at home and are transformed into tangible results.

Matching the right resources with the right needs

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) quoted Ha Thanh, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations of Ho Chi Minh City and Chairwoman of the Advisory Council for International Integration, People-to-People Diplomacy and Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, as saying that a notable aspect of Resolution 23 is its strong shift toward a mindset of partnership, mechanism-building, and mobilizing the resources of Vietnamese people overseas to participate more deeply in the country’s development.

Ha Thanh, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations of Ho Chi Minh City and Chairwoman of the Advisory Council for International Integration, People-to-People Diplomacy and Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA)

Drawing on Ho Chi Minh City’s needs in science and technology, innovation, finance, healthcare, education, trade, and investment, she said it is necessary to shift from connections made primarily through events to connections based on specific needs, sectors, and outcomes. Experts can provide consultancy, knowledge and technology transfer; businesspeople can facilitate investment, business opportunities, and market expansion; while the overseas Vietnamese community can also help promote Vietnam’s image and broaden cooperative relations.

According to lawyer Lam Quang Quy, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Overseas Vietnamese Support Center, ensuring that resources meet the right needs first requires identifying the areas in which overseas Vietnamese experts, intellectuals, and businesspeople are strongest, while clearly determining the domestic projects and issues that require their resources and expertise.

He said it is necessary to develop networks and databases of overseas Vietnamese experts, intellectuals, and businesspeople by sector, thereby connecting them with relevant agencies, businesses, universities, research institutes, and development programs. Overseas Vietnamese resources, therefore, are not limited to capital, but also encompass knowledge, technology, management experience, and international networks.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, President of the Association of Vietnamese People in Chongqing and Sichuan. (Photo: Provided by the subject)

Experience in Chongqing and Sichuan, China, shows that these resources already exist within the community. VOV quoted Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, President of the Association of Vietnamese People in Chongqing and Sichuan, as saying that the association currently has nearly 5,000 members, including overseas Vietnamese, intellectuals, experts, businesspeople, and Vietnamese students studying abroad. Many are working at universities, research institutes, and major businesses, while Vietnamese-owned enterprises operate in various fields, including education, culture, and high technology.

According to Nguyen Thi Lan, in addition to making direct contributions to development at home, the community can also leverage its networks in the host country to promote Vietnam’s image, foster exchanges, and expand cooperation.

Connections must lead to results

All the opinions emphasized that engagement with overseas Vietnamese must be translated into concrete activities, with designated focal points to receive proposals and mechanisms to turn those proposals into programs and projects.

Lawyer Lam Quang Quy said it is necessary to shift from primarily calling on overseas Vietnamese to make contributions toward proactively creating space for them to participate in addressing development challenges. When domestic needs are clearly identified and overseas Vietnamese resources are mapped according to specific sectors, connections can be transformed into concrete programs and projects.

Nguyen Duy Anh, President of the Association of Vietnamese People in Fukuoka, Japan, and Secretary-General of the Global Network for Teaching Vietnamese Language and Culture, said cultural resources should be organized in a similar manner.

According to him, community cultural activities should move from isolated initiatives toward more systematic programs, strengthening connections between domestic agencies and overseas associations, schools, Vietnamese language centers, and communities. The experience of the Global Network for Teaching Vietnamese Language and Culture shows that when teachers, volunteers, Vietnamese-language schools, and associations are connected, efforts to preserve the Vietnamese language and culture not only serve the community but also help bring Vietnam’s image closer to people in the host societies.

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