(VOVworld) - Huynh Dam, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, VFF on Thursday chaired a meeting in Hanoi to collect opinions of representatives of Overseas Vietnamese, OVs to the 1992 Constitution amendment draft.

Representative of the Vietnamese Overseas community in Japan (Source: VNA)

Most delegates agreed that the revised constitution should clarify the role, position, interests, and obligations of the Vietnamese community abroad and the government’s protection of their rights when they invest in Vietnam.

The more than 4 million Vietnamese living and working overseas make a substantial contribution to national development both financially and intellectually. Last year alone, despite the global economic recession, OVs sent to Vietnam more than 11 billion USD in remittances. To maximize the contributions of OVs, especially second and third generation OVs, Tai Phuong of the Vietnamese Association in the US proposed: ‘The Vietnamese government should protect and encourage Overseas Vietnamese to participate in research and investment in science and technology for national development.’

Some meeting participants said the revised constitution should affirm the important role of Vietnamese living and working abroad. In his closing speech, VFF President Huynh Dam expressed his appreciation for the patriotism and sense of responsibility of Vietnamese people overseas, as reflected in their contributions of ideas to the revised constitution. Dam said that he looks forward to hearing further comments from the community.