Vietnamese expats in Cambodia at the Tet festival held by the Vietnamese General Consulate. (Photo: VNA)

Tran Van Bao, Chairman of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Battambang province, expressed his pride when recalling Vietnam’s good control of the COVID-19 pandemic in the past year, holding that under the sound leadership of the Party and State, the country overcame a gloomy time when it was battered by both the outbreak and serious flooding in the central region.

Bao said the Vietnamese expats are expecting that more practical support policies will be adopted at the 13th National Party Congress to help them gain a legal status in Cambodia so as to ensure stable lives for their children as well as further contributions to the homeland.

Besides, they wished for the better citizen protection work, as well as more assistance in preserving Vietnamese traditional culture in foreign countries, he added.

Meanwhile, Le Thi Thuy Linh, a teacher in Siem Reap province, hoped that the 13th National Party Congress will outline rational policies to promote solidarity among expatriates, while expecting for more programmes to support education for younger generations so that they can integrate easily into the world.

According to Vietnamese Consul General in Battambang Le Tuan Khanh, at the conference held at the end of 2020 to collect opinions of Vietnamese citizens in Battambang, Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat and Pailin provinces on draft documents to be submitted to the 13th National Party Congress, they expressed their delight at the country’s achievements across various sectors after 35 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), with high economic growth, well-developed infrastructure, improved living conditions of people, and the country’s increasing position and role on the international arena.

They have kept a close watch on the country’s development, and supported the nation’s fight against corruption as well as policies to popularise the country’s image and encourage patriotism among its citizens.

They do hope that the Party will have more practical and effective policies to create favourable conditions for them to work and live in the host nation, ensuring the Vietnamese expats are always an indispensable part of the great national solidarity bloc, the diplomat added.

* Prof. Nguyen Duc Khuong, Deputy Director of Research at IPAG Business School and President of the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts in France (AVSE Global) has highlighted national unity as the root factor for national development.

Khuong, who is also a member of the Prime Minister’s economic consulting group, pointed to Vietnam’s impressive achievements in the past five years, including a steady economic growth of over 6.5% during tenure of the 12th National Party Congress and political stability.

The economy is re-directing towards sustainability with use of more technological and innovative advances. In particular, Vietnam also succeeded in maintaining economic activities despite the adverse impacts of the global medical crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic last year, he said.

According to him, the Vietnamese Party and State made sound and timely decisions that hold significance to the national development strategy for the next decades. He cited as examples the Politburo’s Resolution on proactive involvement in the fourth industrial revolution, a resolution on attracting quality foreign investment, and another on reshuffle and arrangement of the apparatus of the political system.

The scholar highlighted national unity as the root factor for national development, adding that the role of the overseas Vietnamese community in national development had been affirmed very early. In recent years, the younger generations of Vietnamese abroad have gained more influence in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, digital transformation and automation. With the support of the previous generations, those aged 30-50 are in a good position to foster cooperation between Vietnam and the countries they are living in.

In Khuong’s view, many Vietnamese leaders in the previous tenure were very open, willing to listen to public opinions and paid attention to attracting talents to contribute to the nation. He highlighted a need to issue more specific and stronger policies to effectively use this resource in the near future.

The scholar described the 13th National Party Congress as an important turning point to pave the way for breakthroughs in development and define the position of Vietnam in the global landscape with an active and guiding role.

Apart from issuing sound policies and mechanisms to seek and tap talents, he called for building and making use of the soft power of the nation for development goals, thereby continuing to improve Vietnam’s stature on international arena and build public trust, which he said, is also the expectation of experts at home and abroad, and each Vietnamese citizen.

* Overseas Vietnamese in Egypt believe in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and expect that the country will further prosper following the 13th National Party Congress, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt Tran Thanh Cong.

Ambassador Cong said following the 12th National Party Congress, Vietnam achieved progresses in the fields of economy, politics, socio-culture, national defence-security and diplomacy.

Specifically, the country was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure and undertook the ASEAN Chair in 2020. Vietnam has so far established diplomatic ties with over 190 nations. Achievements in external affairs also contributed to national construction and development, he said.

According to him, Vietnam contributed to maintaining an environment of peace and stability in the region, and especially fostering ties with traditional friends, major powers and strategic partners to create an environment conducive to national development.

After the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the 12th National Party Congress, the diplomatic sector made great contributions to national development, he said, adding that successes gained from the 12th National Party Congress have improved the country’s stature, which provided a source of inspiration for the Vietnamese community in the world and Egypt in particular.

He said the 12th National Party Congress’s leadership brought new images of the Vietnamese people on the international arena, which is also expectation of overseas Vietnamese in the country.

* The Vietnamese people at home and abroad believe that the upcoming 13th National Party Congress will mark a new milestone in the national development, said Chairman of the Vietnam - Korea Businessmen and Investment Association Dr. Tran Hai Linh.

Linh, who is also a member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, said the Congress is a significant political event that will encourage the entire Party, people and armed forces to continue speeding up comprehensive and synchronous reform, carrying the country towards rapid and sustainable development.

Documents of the event will not only review the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the 12th National Party Congress but also 35 years of renewal, 30 years of the implementation of the 1991 Political Platform, the 2011-2020 socio-economic development strategy, and outline socio-economic development for 2021-2025.

The outlining of targets and orientations to 2030 and vision to 2045 also hold significance, contributing to global integration and national development, he said.

He expressed his wish that the Congress will choose and elect talented personnel with moral virtue to the Party Central Committee, and especially top leaders of the Party and State, to help the country overcome challenges in the coming years.

He suggested that the country should seek true strengths and spearhead sectors for development for the coming time, with a focus on those bringing surplus value and developing human resources in the shortest time.

Linh also hoped that the Vietnamese Party will continue cracking down on corruption, set key economic targets following the COVID-19 pandemic, firmly safeguard territorial sovereignty, improve Vietnam’s position on international arena and global integration.