Vietnam embraces science and technology

Positive changes

According to Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh, under the direction of the Party, the National Assembly and the government, with effective coordination among ministries, sectors and agencies at central and local levels, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) achieved encouraging results in 2019, removing obstacles and creating a more open corridor for scientific technological and creative innovation.

In general, the system of legal documents in science and technology has been completed, focusing on supporting and promoting the development of sci-tech enterprises; encouraging the import of high-content technologies for prioritized industries; preventing the import of outdated machines, equipment and technological lines; and building an intellectual property system in line with socioeconomic development objectives.

The financial resources for sci-tech sharply increased. The state now guarantees two percent of the total budget for sci-tech. The investment of the enterprise sector in sci-tech has increased rapidly, accounting for 48 percent of the total investment in sci-tech (compared with 30 percent five years ago). Human resources development has been enhanced in terms of quantity and quality, with a relevant workforce of about 67,000 researchers, some of them internationally recognized experts.

Sci-tech has been applied in almost every socioeconomic area. For example, in construction, Vietnam can master modern technologies and construction of all kinds of projects of different scales, in housing, industry, and transportation to meet the requirements of Vietnam’s economic development. In national defense, Vietnam has manufactured radar systems and missiles to protect the country.

Sci-tech has also contributed over 30 percent of the added value in agricultural production, and 38 percent in the production of plant and animal breeds. In health care, Vietnam successfully performed a liver transplant in two patients, marking a breakthrough in its organ transplant technique. It also researched and produced the first made-in-Vietnam influenza vaccine (IVACFLU-S), targeting three common influenza viruses, including A/H1N1/09; A/H3N2 and influenza B.

Key tasks in 2020

Speaking at a recent MOST event to review achievements in 2019 and devise tasks for 2020, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam hailed the sci-tech sector’s contribution. Vietnam jumped three spots to 42nd position out of 129 world economies in the Global Innovation Index in 2019, coming in first among 26 middle-income countries and third in ASEAN, behind Singapore and Malaysia. However, to turn Vietnam into a high-income country in the next 20 years, all sectors should work together with the sci-tech sector, the deputy PM said.

He also urged honoring the creations and initiatives of individuals and communities to encourage inventors and scientists. “The potential of sci-tech not only exists in research institutes, academies but also in workers and the community. Human resources are not only professors or doctors but can also be found at vocational schools. We need to raise awareness of the sci-tech potential for the country and renovate the national creative innovation system,” said Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam.

Minister Chu Ngoc Anh said in order to fulfill tasks in 2020 and the five-year plan for 2016-2020, the MOST will continue to closely coordinate with ministries, sectors, central agencies and localities on five key tasks.

Firstly, focus on developing and implementing the Intellectual Property Strategy to 2030; encourage enterprises to set up sci-tech funds, research institutes, and sci-tech innovation start-ups; strengthen public-private partnerships in implementing large-scale technology projects and supporting creative innovation startups.

Secondly, continue to complete the legal framework to promote the development of sci-tech and creative innovation.

Thirdly, boost links and cooperation among universities, research institutes and the industry sector and enterprises to promote commercialization of research results in practical production and business activities.

Fourthly, promote cooperation and international integration and joint research cooperation to take advantage of the resources and knowledge of advanced countries, and gradually improve the capability and level of domestic research; and attract talented overseas Vietnamese scientists.

And finally, integrate sci-tech tasks and solutions into socioeconomic development tasks and solutions during the process of drafting party congress documents at all levels.