Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam must take faster and bolder steps to build a comprehensive innovation ecosystem through deeper integration and strategic partnerships with leading economies, reputable international organisations, and global technology corporations, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has said.
Addressing the Forum on “Promoting Innovation and Developing Strategic Technology Sectors” on October 2, Dung, who also serves as Deputy Head of the Government Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, underscored the need for Vietnam to act decisively to narrow the gap with the world. Leveraging global intelligence, resources, technology, and cooperation networks, he stressed, will be key for Vietnam to accelerate growth and assert its position on the global technology map.
The Deputy PM called on ministries, sectors, localities, experts, and international partners to work together to implement specific measures aimed at turning Vietnam into a regional and global hub for science, technology, and innovation. He tasked the National Innovation Centre (NIC) with maintaining its role as the nucleus of the country’s innovation ecosystem by expanding expert networks, fostering international linkages, and establishing strong research groups in strategic technology sectors.
Dung also urged ministries and localities to remove institutional, infrastructure, and human resource bottlenecks, particularly by finalising draft laws on science, technology, and innovation for submission to the National Assembly’s 10th session. He called on innovation networks and strategic technology experts to engage actively in policymaking and technology development, while encouraging international technology firms to expand R&D, strengthen links between research and application, and support the creation of “Made by Vietnam” products for domestic and global markets.
Domestic actors, including research institutes, universities, enterprises, startups, and scientists, were urged to seize new global trends and take the lead in advancing science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation in Vietnam.
The forum was part of the National Innovation Day and the Vietnam International Innovation Exhibition 2025. It was organised by the Ministry of Finance and the National Innovation Centre (NIC), with support from the World Bank, Qualcomm, Meta and the Global Green Growth Institute.
Deputy Finance Minister Nguyen Duc Tam described it as a platform for exchanging visions and affirming Vietnam’s resolve to place innovation and strategic technologies at the centre of its development strategy. He said the Ministry of Finance will continue guiding NIC and Vietnam’s innovation networks in mobilising global resources, strengthening public-private and international cooperation, and reinforcing the country’s role in global technology chains.
Beyond discussion, the forum also marked the launch of concrete initiatives. The World Bank released a landmark report, 'Forging Vietnam’s Semiconductor Future: Talent and Innovation Leading the Way', while NIC and JICA, working with strategic guidance from Boston Consulting Group, announced the VietLeap Accelerator 2025 to boost AI start-ups.
Qualcomm and Meta declared plans to strengthen their research and development presence in Vietnam and to expand supply chain links, while the Japanese government pledged closer cooperation in supporting start-ups and developing technology talent.
Adding a distinctly local success story, Hyphen Deux, a Vietnamese chip design start-up incubated by NIC, introduced its controller chip to the international market. The chip is manufactured at TSMC’s plant, a sign, organisers said, that the innovation ecosystem is beginning to yield global results./.
