The must reform Vietnam’s development model based mostly on science and expertise, innovation, and digital transformation is turning into extra pressing than ever so as to create breakthrough momentum in the digital period. This spirit is persistently mirrored in Politburo Resolution No. 57, the paperwork from the 14th National Party Congress, and Conclusion No. 18-KL/TW dated April 2, 2026, issued by the Party Central Committee on the socio-economic development plan, nationwide finance, public debt borrowing and compensation, and medium-term public funding for the 2026-2030 interval, related to Vietnam’s double-digit progress goal. In this context, the transition to a new progress model based mostly on science and expertise, innovation, and digital transformation has been recognized as the major driver of development.
Most just lately, at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Science, Technology, and Innovation Day on May 18, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung reaffirmed that science, expertise, and innovation are “vital factors” and the “golden key” to realizing the nation’s development aspirations in the new period.
Expanded development house
Against this backdrop, the latest nationwide scientific convention on “Reforming Vietnam’s Development Model Based on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation” in Hai Phong carried not solely theoretical significance in supplementing and refining development pondering for the nation’s new stage, but in addition profound sensible and modern significance by serving to make clear main orientations, mechanisms, insurance policies, and breakthrough options for selling fast and sustainable development on the foundation of science, expertise, innovation, and digital transformation. As a serious port city, northern Vietnam’s maritime gateway, an industrial middle, transportation hub, and a key progress pole of the Northern Key Economic Region, Hai Phong has continued over a few years to affirm its position as a regional progress engine by way of robust and comparatively secure financial efficiency.
In explicit, from July 1, 2025, following its merger with Hai Duong province, Hai Phong entered a new section of development with better scale, enhanced strategic significance, stronger development potential, and extra ample assets, whereas additionally assuming better tasks in supporting the nation’s development in the new period.
With an space of practically 3,200 sq km, a inhabitants of greater than 4.6 million, and an financial system approaching $30 billion, Hai Phong now ranks third nationwide in financial scale. In 2025, the city recorded gross regional home product (GRDP) progress of 11.81 per cent, rating it second nationwide and the highest amongst centrally-governed cities. Notably, Hai Phong is the solely locality in Vietnam to maintain double-digit GRDP progress for eleven consecutive years.
Its financial construction has continued shifting towards industrialization and modernization, with industry-construction and companies accounting for practically 90 per cent of GRDP. Alongside financial development, social welfare, healthcare, and schooling proceed receiving consideration, whereas nationwide protection and safety stay firmly maintained.
In 2026, regardless of dealing with quite a few challenges, the city’s socio-economic efficiency has maintained optimistic momentum. First-quarter GRDP rose 11.21 per cent, rating it third nationwide and first amongst Vietnam’s six centrally-governed cities. State funds income exceeded VND78 trillion ($3 billion), equal to 40.3 per cent of the annual goal assigned by the central authorities.
FDI inflows had been estimated at practically $1.3 billion, up 76.8 per cent year-on-year, bringing the whole quantity of FDI initiatives in the city to 1,044, with mixed registered capital exceeding $44 billion. Total export turnover reached roughly $18.3 billion, up 26.2 per cent year-on-year, whereas cargo throughput at ports stood at practically 59 million tons, up 11.6 per cent.
Alongside socio-economic development, Hai Phong has additionally centered on implementing Politburo Resolution No. 57 below the precept of the “six clarities” and has achieved a quantity of essential preliminary outcomes. The city at the moment ranks third nationwide in the Provincial Digital Transformation Index (DTI) and fourth in the Provincial Innovation Index (PII).
Notably, in accordance with a Ministry of Home Affairs’ announcement on May 11, Hai Phong has continued to rank first nationwide in each the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index) and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administrative Services (SIPAS), reaffirming its place as a number one locality in administrative reform, digital transformation, and the constructing of a two-tier native authorities model centered on effectivity and effectiveness.
At the identical time, the Hai Phong City People’s Council and People’s Committee have issued six resolutions and 4 selections to implement particular mechanisms and insurance policies on science, expertise, and innovation below Resolution No. 226 from the fifteenth National Assembly on piloting particular mechanisms and insurance policies for Hai Phong’s development.
Piloting new fashions
Based on its development expertise, Hai Phong has recognized that in the coming interval it is not going to solely attempt to grow to be the nation’s main trendy industrial, seaport, and logistics middle, but in addition place itself as a progress pole pushed by data, science and expertise, innovation, and digital transformation, whereas turning into a pioneer in reforming development fashions, strengthening trendy governance capability, and enhancing progress high quality.
To understand this purpose, the city has set bold targets for the 2026-2030 interval, together with sustaining common annual GRDP progress of at the very least 13 per cent and striving for 14 per cent; rising the digital financial system’s contribution to GRDP to over 35 per cent by 2030; and constructing Hai Phong into Vietnam’s worldwide middle for marine science and expertise coaching, analysis, and software.
However, alongside the calls for for fast and sustainable progress, sensible challenges stay that require additional research and refinement, ranging from establishments and science and expertise insurance policies to mobilizing assets for innovation, attracting and using scientific expertise, and growing high-quality human assets. The goal is to make sure that science, expertise, innovation, and digital transformation genuinely grow to be key drivers and breakthroughs for socio-economic development. These are additionally main points that the Party General Secretary and central leaders have carefully directed in recent times.
In this context, internet hosting the nationwide scientific workshop in Hai Phong carried not solely skilled significance but in addition mirrored the connection between the central authorities’s strategic pondering and native development realities. It additionally demonstrated the central authorities’s consideration to and expectations for Hai Phong’s position, place, and development potential inside the nation’s new development model.
With its strengths as a seaport, industrial and logistics middle, and a locality deeply built-in into the international financial system, Hai Phong is taken into account well-positioned to steer pilot packages for new development fashions, governance mechanisms, digital infrastructure, sensible ports, sensible logistics, and innovation ecosystems linked to high-tech industries.
It hopes to proceed receiving help from central companies and ministries, cooperation from different localities, and, particularly, worthwhile suggestions, strategic insights, and sensible expertise from specialists and scientists to assist refine development pondering, strengthen governance capability, and understand the city’s development ambitions in the new period. At the identical time, Hai Phong affirms that it’s going to proceed creating favorable situations for scientists and specialists to implement analysis initiatives and pilot fashions in the locality.