Vietnam seeks diaspora help to close tech gap

To Lam told the gathering that Vietnam remains far behind more advanced countries in science and technology, has not yet mastered many core technologies and still faces shortages in high-level researchers. He also said the state must remove policy bottlenecks, direct more investment toward research and improve training quality, while accepting that scientific work carries risk and needs a more practical policy framework.

The political signal is as important as the economic one. Hanoi is now casting overseas Vietnamese not as a symbolic community to celebrate, but as a strategic source of intellectual capital. The new emphasis under Nghị quyết 23-NQ/TW stresses that Vietnamese abroad are an inseparable part of the nation and should be able to participate more deeply in development programs, including through advisory groups, research partnerships and support for training younger talent.

For investors, that is a long-term competitiveness story. Countries that can attract and coordinate diaspora talent usually improve faster in sectors that matter for productivity, margins and export quality. If Vietnam can make it easier for scientists, engineers and executives abroad to contribute without permanently relocating, it could strengthen the ecosystem around AI, digital services, healthcare, banking technology and data security — all areas with the potential to lift corporate earnings over time.

The stock-market angle is less about an immediate trade than about the durability of Vietnam’s growth model. A country that expands its technology base can support better listed companies, more resilient earnings and a broader investable universe. That is especially relevant for foreign investors looking for structural growth beyond low-cost manufacturing. The challenge, as To Lam acknowledged, is execution: Vietnam must turn warm words into usable mechanisms, faster approval processes and clearer incentives for specialists who want to help.

The implication for long-term investors is straightforward. Vietnam is signaling that it wants to compete on brains as well as labor, and that is the kind of policy shift that can compound for years if it is backed by real institutional change. For now, the opportunity is worth watching, especially for investors focused on emerging markets, innovation and the buildout of Vietnam’s next growth engines.