“Without mastering technology, it will be impossible to maintain national sovereignty”

(Dan Tri) - Informing that science and technology will focus on mastering 11 strategic technology groups, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung said that without mastering technology, it will be impossible to maintain national sovereignty.

This viewpoint was given by Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung when delivering a speech at the 1st Government Party Congress, term 2025-2030, on the afternoon of October 13.

According to Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, agriculture has helped Vietnam escape poverty, industry has helped Vietnam become a middle-income country, but to become a high-income developed country, Vietnam must rely on science and technology.

"No country has ever overcome the middle-income trap without shifting to growth based on science and technology ," Mr. Hung emphasized, adding that Vietnam's science and technology go hand in hand with innovation and are placed in the context of digital transformation. This is a very unique approach.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung (Photo: Doan Bac).

Regarding institutions for science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, the Minister commented, "Vietnam is open, creative, and modern like the international community, with a number of breakthrough and outstanding mechanisms and policies."

In particular, Resolution 57 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology development, according to Minister Hung, is a change in thinking and vision. To institutionalize Resolution 57, 10 laws in the field of science and technology have been and will be issued this year.

The Minister also said that in the coming time, the State will spend 3-4% of the budget, equivalent to 3-4 billion USD per year and activate total social expenditure of 10-15 billion USD, so that science - technology, innovation and digital transformation contribute at least 5% of the country's GDP growth.

“Science and technology will focus on mastering 11 strategic technology groups, thereby forming Vietnam's strategic industries. Today, not mastering technology will mean not being able to maintain national sovereignty,” the Minister emphasized.

He said the strategic shifts in the coming term of science and technology are from management to motivation; from resource allocation to resource mobilization; from administrative control to innovation, leadership and market creation.

Making a proposal, the Minister said that the State needs to have strong policies to support output for strategic products, through government procurement and 10-20% of science and technology funds.

In addition, there should be a mechanism for State support vouchers for enterprises to innovate technology. Type one is for enterprises to hire research organizations to improve processes and products. Type two is for enterprises to buy and test new domestic technology.

Minister Nguyen Manh Hung also proposed that the Government have a mechanism to assign and order businesses to create shared digital platforms nationwide.

General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates experience some products displayed at the exhibition on the occasion of the congress (Photo: Doan Bac).

The Minister affirmed that the next 5 years are 5 years to transform institutions, mechanisms, policies, and potentials into economic growth of over 10% and into strategic autonomy.

The trio of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation is the central driving force of development, the main driving force of growth, and the key driving force to improve productivity, quality and competitiveness of the economy, according to the Minister of Science and Technology.

But according to the Minister, science - technology, innovation and digital transformation are not just the work of one ministry, not just the career of one industry, but the common career of the whole country and the whole nation.

"True strength only comes when we all join together and go the long way together. One innovator has an idea, one hundred million innovators have a future," Minister Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/thoi-su/khong-lam-chu-cong-nghe-se-khong-the-giu-vung-chu-quyen-quoc-gia-20251013154041368.htm