Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang on December 28 asked the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) to perfect institutions and legal policies, creating corridors for the development of science and technology.

The Deputy PM made the request while addressing a conference reviewing the ministry’s performance in 2023 and launch tasks for 2024.

The MoST needs to havespecific policies to develop this field on contents such as valuation of assets formed after implementing scientific research results, policies for scientists, and self-reliance and financial mechanisms, he said.

It is necessary for the ministry to further promote research and application of scientific and technological advances in the direction of encouraging scientists with the allocation of sufficient capital for scientific research, he said.

The Deputy PM underlined the need for good collaboration between relevant ministries and agencies and strengthening connections to learn from international experiences, thereby arousing the spirit of solidarity to overcome difficulties and challenges.

He lauded the ministry’s performance in 2023, saying that in the context of common difficulties in the region and the world, Vietnam has still steadfastly overcome the hardships and achieved encouraging results. Quang attributed the achievements to the significant contributions from the science and technology industry, scientists, and those working in the sector.

According to a report presented at the conference, Vietnam's Global Innovation Index (GII) has continuously improved over the past 13 years, showing its effectiveness in converting input resources into innovative results.

Vietnam ranks 46th among 132 economies featured in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings, up two positions from last year. The country ranks second among 36 economies in the lower middle-income group, and is one of the seven middle-income countries with the most progress in innovation in the past decade.

The MOST has developed a Provincial Innovation Index (PII) and officially deployed it nationwide from 2023. This is a tool to measure the innovation capacity and results of each locality across the country, contributing to improving the national innovation index.

In the field of high technology, the MOST has coordinated with other ministries and agencies to resolve important issues relating to accessing semiconductor chip manufacturing technology. The proportion of export value of high-tech products reached nearly 50% of the total value of exported goods. The ministry has also effectively deployed scientific and technological tasks on developing key technologies of the fourth Industry Revolution that Vietnam has advantages such as artificial intelligence, big data analysis, Internet of things, 3D printing and virtual reality technology.

The national creative startup ecosystem has grown in both scale and forms of operation. It is considered one of the most dynamic ecosystems in Asia and ranked 58th in the world. The capital city of Hanoi was among the top 200 global creative startup cities for the first time.

Investment in Vietnamese startups and innovation has maintained a good level of development compared to other countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with 56 projects and total investment capital of nearly 500 million USD in the first six months of 2023.