Productivity boost must be substantive, measurable: Deputy PM
VOV.VN - Productivity enhancement must be substantive, measurable, and built on science and technology to help Vietnam achieve breakthroughs and avoid the middle-income trap, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung has emphasized.
At the National Quality and Productivity Forum 2026 in Hanoi on August 14, organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Deputy PM stated that boosting productivity is a core task for the entire political system during the 2026-2030 period, supporting the nation’s Vision 2045.
While acknowledging Vietnam's economic strides after nearly 40 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), Dung noted that the national growth model still relies heavily on expanding input resources rather than optimising efficiency. Citing regional experience, he emphasized that no country has ever overcome the middle-income trap without a decisive acceleration in productivity.
"Productivity is no longer about doing old tasks faster, but about creating new value through technology, data, and modern management methods," Dung said, adding that digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) must penetrate deep into production lines and operational workflows rather than stopping at administrative office software.
He also laid stress on the need to enhance the tech-absorption capacity of domestic firms, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), alongside modernising national quality infrastructure.
To achieve these targets, Dung outlined key directives across three economic sectors. State-owned enterprises must build clear, quantifiable productivity programmes that cascade down their supply chains in line with Resolution No. 79.
Support policies must focus on actual productivity gains rather than the sheer number of assisted businesses. Meanwhile, the public sector need to raise its own efficiency, particularly as local governments operate under a two-tier system, by streamlining administrative procedures to lower compliance costs for the wider economy.
Concluding his address, Dung urged all sectors to accelerate the adoption of AI, green transition, and quality standards, stressing that proposed ideas must be turned into concrete tasks with specific timelines, designated agencies, and clear personal responsibility.
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