Brian Jeffrey
Vietnam is establishing new legal frameworks to draw in overseas Vietnamese (OV) and high-skilled individuals for the nation’s progress, heralding a transformative period in the country’s development, as noted by a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During a press conference in Hanoi on July 3, Nguyen Trung Kien, the Chairman of the ministry’s State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, emphasized the recent enactment of amendments to the Law on Vietnamese Nationality and the Law on Science – Technology and Innovation, which facilitate investment and entrepreneurship for OV while allowing them to share their expertise for national betterment.
A significant aspect of the updated nationality law is its loosening of constraints for OV and their descendants who have made notable contributions to Vietnam, allowing them to acquire Vietnamese citizenship without needing to demonstrate residency, linguistic capabilities, or financial assurances. Applications can be submitted directly through Vietnamese diplomatic missions located overseas.
Kien also mentioned that individuals wishing to maintain dual citizenship must adhere to the legal stipulations of the respective foreign country and must not exploit foreign citizenship to harm the lawful rights and interests of Vietnamese entities or jeopardize national security and public order. Additionally, they have the option to select mixed Vietnamese and foreign names, rather than being required to retain their former Vietnamese names.
The law further broadens the options available for those who have lost their Vietnamese nationality to reclaim it and simplifies the process by eliminating the necessity for certain judicial records issued in Vietnam.
This legislative move showcases a significant advancement in the policies of the Party and State, alleviating obstacles and creating avenues for the community of around six million OV to reconnect with their heritage and make contributions back home.
Additionally, the Law on Science – Technology and Innovation, as Kien pointed out, sets up a legal “sandbox” framework permitting the controlled experimentation of new technologies like AI, blockchain, health technology, and educational technology within set parameters before wider implementation.
The law promotes innovative research by providing legal safeguards for scientists and institutions that adhere to established protocols and legal frameworks, even in the event of unsatisfactory outcomes. Vietnam is moving from a pre-approval model to post-supervision, emphasizing transparency, outcome assessment, and risk management instead of prior intervention, Kien remarked. This aligns well with the dynamic and experimental essence of science, technology, and innovation.
One of the most notable changes is the encouragement of commercializing research findings and safeguarding technology transfer methods. The legislation allows research institutions ownership or usage rights to their inventions without needing consent from higher authorities. Furthermore, scientists can now earn direct financial rewards from their intellectual property, marking a pivotal step towards enhancing real-world applications and boosting transparency in the realm of intellectual property management.
Moreover, the law lays the groundwork for an ecosystem that aids commercialization, featuring technology trading platforms, organizations for intellectual property valuation, and centers supporting technology transfer that efficiently link research initiatives with production and business activities.
Kien reiterated that the committee will persist in collaborating with relevant ministries to refine these reforms and ensure they are compliant with existing legal frameworks. He emphasized that contributions from overseas are not confined to physical return to Vietnam; remote contributions such as experience sharing, networking, and technology transfer are equally valuable./.VNA
