Strengthening internal capacity for the Industry and Trade sector to integrate more deeply into the global economy.

Enhancing self-reliance in mechanical engineering technology.

Within the framework of the Conference summarizing Party work in 2025 and implementing tasks for 2026, held on the morning of December 18th, Comrade Phan Dang Phong, Director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering Research, presented a paper on the topic: "Promoting the leading role of the Party Committee in building the Institute of Mechanical Engineering Research into a leading research, design, and manufacturing institute for mechanical engineering and automation, serving the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country."

Accordingly, in fulfilling its mission of developing policies and mechanisms for industry development, the Institute has completed two tasks assigned by the Ministry of Industry and Trade: the Project on the Development of Mechanical and Automation Equipment under the Power Development Plan VIII and the Project on the Development of Vietnam's Railway Industry until 2035 with a vision to 2050.

*Comrade Phan Dang Phong, Director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering Research, presented his paper.*

“ Currently, the Institute has completed the draft and submitted it to the competent authority for consideration and promulgation. The Institute has successfully implemented many projects and scientific research topics; the research results have been applied to practical production, gradually contributing to the development of policies on mechanical engineering and automation for the country. Every year, the Institute publishes more than 60 scientific articles in prestigious domestic and international scientific journals ,” Comrade Phan Dang Phong informed.

Furthermore, the Institute's training of postgraduate students in mechanical engineering is increasingly focused on depth, and postgraduate students trained by the Institute have performed well in their workplaces. Many postgraduate students, after receiving their doctoral degrees from the Institute, have been entrusted with important responsibilities in universities, research institutes, and businesses.

According to the head of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering Research, they have mastered the design and manufacture of many integrated equipment lines for industries such as hydropower, thermal power, cement, paper, mining and mineral processing, chemicals, new and renewable energy, and utilizing waste heat from cement plants to generate electricity.

From there, the goal is to gradually increase the localization rate of mechanical equipment, reduce the trade deficit, and enhance the self-reliance of domestic mechanical engineering enterprises in implementing complex and challenging equipment lines that have previously been the exclusive domain of foreign contractors.

“ The Institute has been approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade for its development strategy until 2035 with a vision to 2050. This is an important foundation for the Institute to steadfastly develop towards becoming a national high-tech research center, with prestige in the region and the world. In the last five years, the Institute has boosted its production and business activities, and the living standards of its staff and employees have been increasingly improved and enhanced ,” emphasized Director Phan Dang Phong.

Also at the conference, Comrade Phan Dang Phong outlined the orientations and solutions for the coming period. Accordingly, the Party Committee of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering Research identified the following key tasks: Continuing to build a clean and strong Party Committee of the Institute, and excellently fulfilling its duties; improving the quality of Party branch meetings, strictly implementing Directive No. 50-CT/TW dated July 23, 2025, of the Secretariat of the Central Committee on continuing to innovate and improve the quality of Party branch meetings in the new period; upholding the pioneering and exemplary role of cadres and Party members, especially those in leadership positions; and linking Party building work with building workplace culture and scientific research culture.

At the same time, we will build a team of leading scientists and experts, with a focus on training young, highly specialized personnel to serve as the successors for the Institute's development in the coming years; and create mechanisms to attract and utilize talent, especially students graduating from international universities in mechanical engineering and automation...

Proactive international integration

At the conference, Comrade Le Trieu Dung, Director of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department, on behalf of the Party Committee of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department, presented a paper on the topic: " The advisory, leadership, and guidance work of the Party Committee in implementing Resolution 59-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2025, of the Politburo on international integration in the new situation, linked to the tasks of the industry and trade sector ."

Accordingly, international integration is a major and consistent policy of the Party and State, consistently expressed in many important documents, especially in Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2025, of the Politburo. Resolution 59 marks a historical turning point in the country's international integration process, identifying integration as a strategic driving force for Vietnam to confidently enter a new era.

Immediately after Resolution 59 was issued, the Party Committee of the Department directed the widespread dissemination of its content to all Party members and civil servants. At the same time, they reviewed, updated, and integrated the requirements of the Resolution into the Department's annual and long-term work plans.

“ The implementation goes beyond mere awareness and is concretized into clear action plans in each area: ASEAN, WTO, APEC, and FTA negotiations, building an integration database and an ecosystem to support businesses. Each task is linked to the Resolution's requirement to proactively shape new cooperation frameworks, improve the effectiveness of commitment implementation, and enhance the competitiveness of the economy ,” Comrade Le Trieu Dung emphasized.

According to Director Le Trieu Dung, as the focal agency of Vietnam coordinating activities within the ASEAN Economic Community pillar, the Department's Party Committee has led the unit in closely coordinating with ASEAN countries as well as relevant ministries, sectors, and units to implement intra-bloc cooperation processes according to the ASEAN Economic Community 2025 Master Plan (AEC 2025) and activities to develop the AEC Strategic Plan for the period 2026-2030, with a vision to 2045. The Department has actively participated in discussions on evaluating the AEC 2025 Master Plan and, together with ASEAN countries, developed relevant recommendations for the post-2025 period.

“ In terms of external cooperation, Vietnam, in its role as ASEAN-EU coordinator, has contributed many important contents related to digital trade, supply chain resilience, and has deeply participated in upgrading ASEAN+1 FTAs with key partners such as China, India, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as negotiating a new FTA between ASEAN and Canada. These results reflect Vietnam's proactive and engaged role in ASEAN, demonstrating the true spirit of Resolution 59 on enhancing national status through multilateral mechanisms ,” the head of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department emphasized.

In the coming period, the Party Committee of the Department has identified the key direction as continuing to improve the quality of strategic advice, ensuring the synchronized, effective, and substantive implementation of Resolution 59. The Department will strengthen its role in inter-sectoral coordination within ASEAN, WTO, and APEC, as well as in negotiating and implementing FTAs; enhance institutional development suitable for new economic models; proactively propose initiatives at multilateral forums; and actively and proactively support businesses in enhancing their capacity to utilize FTAs.

Through the discussions, the conference clearly demonstrated the pivotal leadership role of Party committees at all levels in promoting self-reliance in mechanical engineering technology, enhancing domestic research, design, and manufacturing capabilities; and at the same time, proactively and substantively integrating into the international arena.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/nang-cao-noi-luc-de-nganh-cong-thuong-hoi-nhap-sau-rong-435414.html