Barriers from practice
The conference on trade promotion with the Vietnamese trade office system abroad took place on the morning of July 31 in Hanoi with the theme "Promoting trade and developing markets for science and technology (S&T) products" to concretize and put the spirit of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo into practice, seeking solutions to the problem of bringing Vietnamese intellectual products to the open sea.
Mr. Vu Ba Phu - Director of the Trade Promotion Agency ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) affirmed that Resolution 57 is one of the "Four Pillars" bringing the country into a new era, considering science and technology and innovation as the "key" for Vietnam to participate more deeply in the global value chain and enhance national competitiveness.
According to Mr. Vu Ba Phu - Director of the Trade Promotion Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), the market for consuming Vietnamese science and technology products abroad is still very limited.
Vietnam possesses a potential innovation ecosystem with more than 3,800 technology startups, 74,000 information technology enterprises and a team of 1.2 million high-quality workers. The network of more than 140 universities, research institutes and startup support organizations is creating a solid launching pad for many fields such as educational technology (EdTech), financial technology (FinTech)...
"However, it must be admitted that the market for Vietnamese science and technology products abroad is still very limited. This poses an urgent need for synchronous coordination between ministries, branches, associations, and especially the Vietnamese Trade Office system abroad - a force expected to be a strategic "bridge" to bring Vietnamese products to the world," Mr. Phu emphasized.
From a business perspective, associations have pointed out specific challenges that are hindering the journey to conquer international markets.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Giang - Vice President, General Secretary of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) said that although the Government's policies and geopolitical position are creating "golden opportunities", software and information technology businesses still face many difficulties.
"The biggest challenge is the presence in the host country. Partners always ask 'Does your company have an office here?'. A 'no' answer can significantly reduce the excitement and opportunity for long-term cooperation," Ms. Giang shared. In addition, the lack of market information, professional connection channels, legal barriers and limited marketing budget are also difficult problems.
Meanwhile, for the supporting and manufacturing industry, Ms. Truong Thi Chi Binh - Vice President, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Supporting Industries (VASI) pointed out another problem. Vietnamese enterprises have very good capacity to produce separate components, meeting international standards and can meet complex orders with low output that China does not have an advantage in. However, the weakness lies in the stage of making component clusters and complete products (OEM/ODM).
"The biggest difficulty when switching to OEM/ODM is the market. Businesses are used to producing separate components with regular orders and large output despite low profits. Initial orders for finished products are often small, making them uninterested," Ms. Binh analyzed.
Engaging in ODM also requires competencies in branding, distribution channels, R&D and sales – skills that many manufacturing companies do not have experience with.
Specific proposals for a strategic "bridging force"
Faced with the above challenges, delegates agreed that the Vietnamese Trade Office system abroad needs to take more specific and stronger actions. A series of practical proposals were made. In particular, VINASA proposed supporting businesses with physical presence. Trade Offices can study the model of supporting businesses with a "shared address" or a shared representative office in the host country. This is considered a "key" solution to remove psychological barriers of presence, creating trust for partners.
The associations proposed that the Trade Office become the focal point for building a database of demand, standards, and potential investors in key markets, helping businesses "get ahead". VASI committed to providing a list of products and technologies that Vietnamese businesses can export.
Mr. Do Tien Thinh, Deputy Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC), proposed that the Trade Deals proactively connect Vietnamese startups with venture capital funds, angel investors, and large technology corporations. At the same time, coordinate with NIC to organize forums, pitching sessions, and promote Vietnam's preferential policies at major international technology events such as CES and Web Summit.
Delegates hope that senior leaders will introduce more about the capacity of Vietnam's technology industry during their visit. On the Ministry of Industry and Trade's side, VINASA proposed the need to develop a new trade promotion strategy suitable for the high-tech industry, along with increased funding and a flexible review mechanism for necessary and emerging programs.
Regarding the proposal to organize practical promotion activities, VASI suggests that Trade Offices participate in annual exhibitions and fairs and be ready to organize factory tours so that buyers and investors can "see and hear" the production capacity of Vietnamese enterprises.
According to Mr. Hoang Minh - Deputy Director of the Trade Promotion Agency, to successfully implement Resolution 57, turning enthusiastic proposals into concrete actions requires active coordination between management agencies, enterprises and especially the Vietnamese Trade Office system abroad. Thereby, bringing about real effectiveness for trade promotion activities and market development for Vietnamese science and technology products.
Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/tieu-thu-san-pham-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-viet-o-nuoc-ngoai-con-han-che/20250731015907385
Comment (0)