(LinkAsia: January 20, 2012)

Sydnie Kohara:

Vietnam is also preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year. People are returning to their hometowns and that includes former refugees who fled the country during the Vietnam War. The government has made a point of welcoming them back this year with a high-profile event. It reflects the government’s desire to reconcile with expatriates amid a shortage of skilled workers. Here’s NHK with the story.

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NHK World NEWSLINE

Airdate: January 17, 2012

Reporter:

State-run television covered the Welcome Home event on Monday as its lead story on the evening news. The government-sponsored Spring in Homeland 2012 party took place ahead of newt week’s lunar new year, known as Tet in Vietnam.

Many people fled the country during the Vietnam War, especially from now-defunct South Vietnam, in the final days of the conflict in the 1970s. About 2.7 million Vietnamese now live overseas.

Officials used to treat them with suspicion because of connections with pro-reform groups. But that attitude has changed in recent years. The government even invited children living from overseas back to Vietnam to see first-hand how the country is developing.

Former refugees are now viewed as a possible solution to the shortage of business leaders Vietnam needs to further its market reforms. At Monday’s event, President Truong Tan Sang played drums to welcome the expats home. The government will likely continue to send messages of conciliation to Vietnamese from around the world to return and support the country’s economic development.