Mastering technology to participate in global value chains

Under the Scheme, the relevant authorities are required to review all ongoing national science and technology programmes and reorganise them into six groups, each with its own objectives, content, and expected outcomes, to avoid duplication of goals, products, and resources.

Decision No. 1951 aims to improve the efficiency of organising, managing, and using resources, promote technological development and innovation, and enhance the country’s capacity for technological self-reliance through more specific and practical roadmaps. These will cover the entire process, from basic and applied research and technology development to technology transfer, innovation, and the commercialisation of findings. In particular, the research and development objectives in science and technology must be aligned with market demand.

Notably, the Scheme sets out several targets: by 2030, 100% of programmes within its scope will be monitored and evaluated through a shared digital platform; 30 strong research groups meeting regional standards will be established; at least 20 key national and strategic technology products will be developed; and at least 20 enterprises will master their own technologies, including a minimum of five with products participating in global value chains.

The Scheme identifies enterprises as the driving force behind technology application, transfer, innovation, and commercialisation, while market demand serves as the benchmark and guide for research. This can be regarded as the cornerstone for relevant agencies, ministries, and sectors to review and reform their approaches to investing in, managing, and operating programmes, ensuring tangible results through the focused allocation of resources and clearly defined directions and objectives. Scientific and technological research will place greater emphasis on delivering specific products, rather than focusing solely on academic projects and widely published journal papers.

Thus, the policy direction and decision on restructuring science and technology programmes are clear. The key issue now is effective implementation by ministries, sectors, local authorities, and enterprises. The major challenge is to ensure that the programmes under the Scheme are geared towards mastering technology and participating in global value chains. In addition, relevant mechanisms and regulations for investment, finance, specialised management, and risk governance need to be more specific and transparent.

The Scheme sets a target of establishing 30 strong research groups meeting regional standards. This is one of the action requiring urgent implementation to realise the major tasks in science, technology, and innovation. However, before these groups can be formed, agencies, ministries, and sectors need to introduce exceptional, feasible talent incentive policies that make a strong impression from the outset. This must go hand in hand with investment in laboratories, the development of data systems, and the provision of comprehensive working conditions.

In implementing the Scheme, continued attention and investment should also be given to basic research and the social sciences, particularly basic research, which is regarded as the core foundation for a country’s scientific and technological development. This will also provide an important basis for establishing specific evaluation criteria, achieving successful digital transformation, ensuring genuinely effective spending, and giving enterprises a clear direction in which to confidently invest in new technologies, thereby meeting the nation’s pressing needs.

The path towards enabling Viet Nam to create products recognised within global value chains is becoming increasingly clear. The task facing the entire political system is to join forces and make every effort to successfully achieve the targets set, helping the country advance steadily into a new era of development.