Businesses should be considered centre for innovation and creativity

The conference also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and leaders from a number of ministries and localities, reviewed scientific and technological activities in 2017 and devised tasks and orientations for 2018. 

PM Phuc speaking at the event.

Over the past year, many science and technology products have proved successful applications, including those in the fields of finance and banking, health care, construction industry, and seafood processing.

The PM also pointed out four main pillars of innovation in science and technology that should focus on transforming the economic growth model, especially the low-productivity model in agricultural production in Vietnam and promoting innovative startups which have just been concentrated in major cities.

The government leader also underlined the important role played by science and technology in promoting production value and economic growth, and called for greater efforts to effectively develop the sector in the time ahead.

It is essential to continue making breakthroughs in improving the innovation index, build laws related to science and technology development and policies on using human resources, as well as intensify investment in the sector, he said.

Shortcomings must be resolved soon so as to boost the application of science and technology in production and business activities, and commercialization of science-technology products, Phuc stressed

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said the sector served as a driving force for the nation’s socio-economic development and last year witnessed great efforts in renovating state management and effective collaboration among ministries and sectors to spur the scientific and technological development.

Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh pledged his ministry’s continued efforts to fine-tun legal regulations, incentivize the implementation of science and technology tasks in connection with enterprises’ development and promote application of high technologies in agricultural development, especially for key farm products for exports.

At the conference, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, PM Phuc presented the First Class Independence Order to former Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Van Phong, the third Class Independence Order to former Minister of Science and technology Nguyen Quan.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam awarded the Labor Medal to officials and leaders of the Ministry of Science and Technology.