Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Mar. 8 (VNA) -- Most overseas Vietnamese, responding to the Viet Nam Communist Party's draft political report, say the economy's effectiveness and competitiveness is the key to development.

The overseas Vietnamese, who gathered in Ha Noi on Mar. 8 to make comments about the report, also discussed a wide-range of issues, including education and training, a knowledge-based economy and the defeat of corruption.

Tran Trong Viet, an overseas Vietnamese in Australia, said the enactment and enforcement of Viet Nam's Enterprise Law was an important step foreward in encouraging business expansion.

"It is right for the Party and Government to chart a policy of approaching a knowledge-based economy, but increasing investment for human- resource development is no less important," he said.

Nguyen Huy Hoang from Russia focused on the preservation of nation's cultural identity and said "It's necessary to work out an educational programme suitable to Vietnamese pupils and students and stop changing educational contents and programmes."

Many agreed that the Party and Government should adopt a policy that provides more help to overseas Vietnamese as well as making better use of their knowledge, technical skills and investment for national industrialization and modernization.

They also recommended that together with their rights, the obligations of overseas Vietnamese should be clearly defined.

The gathering, jointly held by the Viet Nam's Committee for Overseas Vietnamese and Nhan Dan, the People, newspaper, was attended by representatives of the overseas Vietnamese communities in Russia, Hungary, Thailand, Canada, the United States, Australia and other countries.--VNA