Science, technology motivate national development

Vietnam has implemented several mechanisms and incentives to increase science and technology’s contributions to the national socio-economic development. Vietnam’s Global Innovation Index ranks 59th among 140 countries and territories and its technology output indexes are among the top 50. The number of Vietnamese technology companies has increased rapidly in recent years. Many remarkable achievements have been made in the application of science and technology, particularly in agriculture and health care.

Goals of science and technology reform should be realized

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recently asked the science and technology sector to focus more on human resource development, upgrade infrastructure, and improve international integration capacity.

PM Phuc said, “The science and technology sector needs to promote renovation, breakthroughs, adaptation, and sustainability and closely follow the government’s action program. In 2018 the government will focus on reforming the growth model, restructuring the economy, addressing difficulties to facilitate enterprises and the public, encouraging innovation, and increasing national labor productivity.”

The Prime Minister said science and technology should contribute to reforming the growth model and replacing low-productivity agricultural models in Vietnam. He stressed the importance of increasing the number of innovative enterprises and promoting start-ups.

Facilitating enterprises in applying science and technology

Prime Minister Phuc said that enterprises should be the cornerstone of the innovation system. "It’s necessary to promote innovation in state agencies to encourage them to change their working methods and styles and streamline administrative procedures. Enterprises and the public should play a central role in creating nationally competitive products. We need to create more practical measures and a favorable environment, and maintain 8 sci-tech transaction floors to increase connectivity and technological transfer,” said the Prime Minister.

He underlined the importance of reforming institutions and renovating investment methods to help make 2% of state budget allocated for science and technology efficient.

The Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Science and Technology to modernize science and technology infrastructure and promote high-tech parks in 2018.