(VOVworld)- The 2^nd meeting connecting Vietnamese businesspeople inside and outside the country opened in the central highlands city of Da Lat on Wednesday. The meeting aims to help Vietnamese businesspeople expand their operations at home and abroad. In his address, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai reiterated that overseas Vietnamese were inseparable from the Vietnamese community and were a bridge linking Vietnam with the rest of the world. He highlighted the important role of overseas Vietnamese businesspeople. Hai said:“At this meeting, we need to evaluate the outcomes from our first meeting in connecting Vietnamese businesspeople inside and outside the country. We also need to study the challenges, opportunities and potential in business cooperation and export activities. Measures should be proposed to boost production and the export of Vietnamese goods and services, strengthen technology transfer, exchange management experience and shift the economic growth model. Efforts should be made to expand markets, improve our competitiveness and enhance businesspeople’s contribution to national development”.

Overseas Vietnamese Business Associations have been set up in several countries with expanding memberships. Nguyen Thi Bich lives in France: “ I have been involved in the cosmetics and perfume business in France for 43 years. Every time I return home, I always try to seek ways to expand my market here. I want to discuss with other businesspeople to learn from their experiences. I hope to transfer the technology of making perfume to Vietnam because our country has great potential in this field”.

According to the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, overseas remittance to Vietnam totaled 9 billion USD in 2011 and 10 billion USD last year despite the global economic challenges. In addition, more than 3,600 overseas Vietnamese businesspeople have invested in Vietnam, bringing in a total capital of 8.6 billion USD. 

Quang Sang, Hoang Huong