Looking again at the 2021-2025 time period, what adjustments do you assess making a basis for enhancing the competitiveness of the financial system?
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| Nguyen Manh Hung |
The most excellent lead to current instances lies not solely in particular person achievements, but in addition in a shift in consciousness, mindset, and strategy. We have laid the basis for a brand new body of reference, during which sci-tech and innovation are output-oriented, with socioeconomic effectivity as the central criterion. The whole research-application-commercialisation chain is positioned inside a logic of fixing issues, fairly than working in a fragmented method.
These adjustments have turn into extra substantial, most evident in three areas. Firstly, the institutional framework focuses on eradicating impediments to make sure that science and expertise shortly enter day by day life, manufacturing, and enterprise actions.
In the ultimate yr of the time period, the quantity of legislative work was substantial and had a transparent mark. The Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) chaired and coordinated the drafting, modification, and submission to the National Assembly of 10 legal guidelines and one decision; at the authorities and prime minister ranges, 23 decrees, one decision, and 5 choices drafted have been signed and handed.
This coverage framework demonstrates a willpower to take away institutional points, one in all the greatest obstacles to the growth of science, expertise, and innovation for a few years.
Secondly, digital infrastructure and governance capability have been considerably improved and recognised internationally. According to the United Nations, Vietnam rose 15 locations in the 2024 E-Government Development Index, rating 71st out of 193 international locations. These figures point out that Vietnam has shifted from digitalisation to data-driven operation, with digital infrastructure changing into the basis for bettering governance effectivity and lowering prices for residents and companies.
Thirdly, innovation capability and the startup ecosystem contribute to enhancing the nation’s competitiveness. Vietnam’s innovation index ranks forty fourth globally; and it’s recognised as one in all 9 middle-income international locations that have improved their rankings quickest over the previous decade.
How have residents and companies benefited most from particular adjustments, from administrative procedures and public companies to manufacturing capability and product high quality in the time period?
There are three most particular teams of adjustments. First is the change in how the state serves the people and companies. Administrative procedures and public companies are extra handy and clear due to digital transformation. Paperwork, journey and ready instances are decreased. In 2025, the share of on-line functions throughout all on-line public companies reached practically 78 per cent.
The capability and productiveness of companies have additionally improved considerably and profoundly due to the software of expertise and course of innovation. Automation, digital administration, and information assist companies optimise operations, shorten manufacturing time, cut back errors, save supplies and vitality, and enhance the effectivity of provide chain administration.
When digital transformation takes place comprehensively, the digital area turns into a brand new residing area the place important companies in schooling, healthcare, finance, commerce, and others are offered shortly and personalised, making certain that everybody can take part in and profit from the digital surroundings.
Citizens profit from comfort. Businesses profit from elevated productiveness and high quality. And the state advantages from improved governance. This is the most correct measure of science, expertise, and innovation in life.
You have emphasised that the main distinction of Resolution No.57/NQ-TW is its output-based administration strategy. Could he present particular objectives and targets to display this?
Previously, we managed science with an administrative mindset: tightly controlling inputs, down to each doc and bill, whereas the necessities and analysis of outputs weren’t clear or sturdy sufficient. As a consequence, the area for innovation was narrowed; and scientists spent extra time on procedures than on analysis.
Resolution 57 re-established priorities: shifting from administration primarily based on strategies and procedures to administration primarily based on objectives and ultimate outcomes. The decision additionally emphasised pilot mechanisms and the acceptance of managed dangers.
This is quantified by targets and indicators. Firstly, there’s the measure of progress high quality, by the goal of complete issue productiveness contributing over 55 per cent to financial progress. This is a major indicator, confirming that Vietnam’s progress in the coming interval should rely totally on productiveness, science, expertise, and administration innovation, not proceed to rely closely on capital and labour growth as earlier than.
Secondly, the objective is to ascertain at the least 5 digital tech enterprises on par with these in superior international locations.
Third is measuring analysis outcomes by their marketability. The decision units a goal of 8-10 per cent in commercialisation of analysis outcomes and innovations.
Fourth, the objective is to allocate at the least 3 per cent of the complete annual funds to science, expertise, innovation, and digital transformation, regularly rising this quantity as growth requires; concurrently, shifting from an in depth management mechanism to a results-based expenditure mechanism; from recovering analysis outcomes for the state to leaving possession rights to analysis organisations for commercialisation.
What options does the ministry should unlock capital flows from the personal sector, enterprise capital funds, and worldwide sources, thereby realising the objective of creating Vietnam a dynamic startup hub in the area?
Innovation is barely sustainable when capital flows are unlocked. In this case, the position of the state is to create mechanisms and supply preliminary impetus.
Firstly, we’re specializing in perfecting the authorized framework so that personal capital, enterprise capital, and worldwide capital can movement into the revolutionary startup ecosystem in a clear and managed method. The Law on Science, Technology, and Innovation lays the basis for the formation of nationwide enterprise capital funds and native enterprise capital funds utilizing state budgets.
We contemplate ecosystem connectivity to be a decisive issue. The MST is strengthening cooperation with main startup hubs in the area and the world similar to Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and the United States, whereas organising and enhancing actions similar to Techfest, funding boards, and innovation boards, creating confidence amongst worldwide traders.
Furthermore, clearly figuring out key precedence areas is the best method for the state to information capital flows. Based on this, Vietnam has recognized 11 strategic expertise teams, specializing in areas that guarantee nationwide self-reliance and self-sufficiency, these with excessive demand, sufficiently giant markets, and the potential to create long-term aggressive benefits.
When the state identifies main challenges and units long-term priorities, traders will see the vacation spot and the roadmap, thus being prepared to spend money on the long run as a substitute of searching for short-term earnings. Capital flows strongly solely when it’s guided by a transparent strategic imaginative and prescient and consistency in coverage.
I nonetheless consider that, to turn into a dynamic startup hub in the area, Vietnam doesn’t must compete with short-term incentives, however fairly with the high quality of its ecosystem: clear establishments, a sufficiently giant market, certified workforce, and regional and international connectivity. When these circumstances converge, capital will naturally movement in.
With the 14th National Party Congress emphasising a brand new progress mannequin, the objective of double-digit progress, and the requirement for sustainable growth, what are the strategic options for the sector to understand these objectives?
To realise the objectives, we have to translate macroeconomic targets into productiveness, progress high quality, and competitiveness by strategic options.
Firstly, we should proceed to enhance the institutional framework. Institutions should lead the strategy to innovation. We must construct a authorized framework for key recognized areas, whereas aggressively implementing managed testing mechanisms. The method legal guidelines are made will even be modified: science and expertise are creating very quickly, and legal guidelines can’t wait 5-10 years earlier than being amended. If mandatory, they should be adjusted yearly, revising one to 2 key provisions every year.
Secondly, we should grasp strategic applied sciences and rising industries. Vietnam should steadfastly pursue a path of self-reliance and self-strength, taking management of core tech. We prioritise focusing sources on semiconductor chips, AI, superior supplies, and new vitality; whereas regularly creating the area and quantum industries. These are new progress poles that will decide the nation’s place and competitiveness in the subsequent stage of growth.
Thirdly, there must be reform of the administration mannequin for nationwide sci-tech programmes and monetary mechanisms, utilizing outcomes as the benchmark, shifting strongly from spending on analysis to ordering and buying analysis outcomes, and from managing inputs to investing in outputs.
Fourthly, we have to develop trendy science, expertise, and digital infrastructure. The focus will probably be on a nationwide shared information platform, information centres, high-performance computing and AI centres, key laboratory programs, and a contemporary, built-in postal and telecommunications infrastructure.
Finally, it’s mandatory to construct a science and expertise, innovation ecosystem, and implement a nationwide talent-based startup technique. The mechanisms should be sturdy sufficient to draw and retain the greatest expertise, and concurrently facilitate the movement of capital for innovation, particularly by public-private enterprise capital funds.