WIPO Director General: We are committed to accompanying Vietnam in building a knowledge-based economy

During his visit and working visit to Vietnam from September 25-26, 2025, Mr. Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), had a press exchange on WIPO's cooperation orientation with Vietnam in the coming time.

Mr. Daren Tang - Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Photo: WIPO

How do you evaluate the results of Vietnam continuing to be recognized as a country "innovating beyond expectations" in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025? What solutions should Vietnam prioritize to improve the remaining pillars to enhance the quality of innovation in the coming years?

As Director General of WIPO, the global innovation agency, I would like to congratulate Vietnam on the 80th anniversary of its National Day. Over the past 80 years, Vietnam has changed a lot in terms of society, economy and culture. Now, Vietnam is entering a new chapter of development. I believe that science, technology and innovation are the driving forces, and together with the political determination of the whole country, Vietnam will succeed. Over the past 10 to 15 years, Vietnam has proven that these efforts are real. The achievement from 76th in 2013 to 44th in 2024 is indeed very rare in history. I believe that with this achievement, Vietnam has a solid foundation for the next chapter of development.

However, for Vietnam's next chapter to be truly a development chapter, Vietnam needs to do three things. First, strengthen investment in research and development. Along with that, improve and build human capacity to materialize creative ideas, turning them into tangible results such as job creation, production, and services. Another point is that our economy is no longer dependent on manufacturing, assembly, or agriculture as before, but will shift to an intellectual economy. I believe that this is the content that Vietnam needs to implement to change.

Vietnam is continuing to study and amend and perfect the Intellectual Property Law. In your opinion, what points should Vietnam pay attention to in the process of amending the Law? Does WIPO have any specific cooperation and support plans for Vietnam to promote the commercialization of inventions and improve intellectual property protection capacity in new technology fields?

Previously, intellectual property protection was mainly related to registration and protection of rights. I think this is not really adequate. Therefore, the changes that both WIPO and Vietnam are aiming for is the commercialization of intellectual property rights. After an entity has an idea, it conducts registration activities. The question that needs to be asked is how they can turn those inventions into specific economic results. Vietnam and WIPO are trying very hard to create a roadmap to bring real ideas to the market, creating economic results for the country. With this new approach, intellectual property rights will no longer be just a matter of regulations but will become an ecosystem for schools and academies to combine with businesses from small and medium, large to startups.

I also believe that raising the skills and awareness of all people towards intellectual property rights is really important. This is the practical vision that WIPO has just realized through the memorandum of understanding signed with the Ministry of Science and Technology today. This document will become a very important catalyst to promote Vietnam to the next chapter of development.

The Vietnamese government is targeting double-digit GDP growth in the coming years. How do you think innovation and intellectual property should be leveraged to become the driving force to realize this goal?

I always believe that the story of innovation is like a river flowing from the mountains to the sea, at the source of the river is research and development, which Vietnam is investing a lot in. The more investment in R&D, the stronger our river will flow to the sea. However, for the flow to be gentle and coordinated, we need to have support solutions so that the ideas of the Vietnamese people gradually become typical for the region, typical in the world.

WIPO is committed to helping Vietnamese partners connect with businesses. A typical example is that right here in Vietnam, we have a "Lab to market" initiative to support technology students in academies and schools, helping them bring to market products from their school days and connect with businesses, thereby creating business models originating from research institutes and universities (spin-off).

I also believe that through Resolution No. 57 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation, WIPO will also commit to accompanying Vietnam in realizing the contents of this Resolution, creating a future-oriented knowledge economy for Vietnam.

Thank you very much!

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/tong-giam-doc-wipo-chung-toi-cam-ket-dong-hanh-cung-viet-nam-xay-dung-nen-kinh-te-tri-thuc-20250925121642794.htm