Efforts needed to bring Vietnam to region’s top 3 in digital technology: Party chief

Party General Secretary To Lam addresses the forum (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Party General Secretary To Lam has emphasised the need for more efforts to place Vietnam among the top three Southeast Asian countries for digital technology research and development by 2030, and form at least five major digital technology enterprises capable of competing internationally.

Addressing the sixth annual national forum on the development of Vietnamese digital technology enterprises held by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) in Hanoi on January 15, the Party chief underlined that in the context of globalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital technology has become a key driving force for socio-economic development.

Digital transformation is not just an inevitable trend but also an urgent requirement for Vietnam to narrow the development gap with the region and the world, he stressed, affirming that digital transformation is a long-term strategy to enhance national competitiveness and strengthen Vietnam’s position on the global economic map.

However, to achieve these goals, strong commitments from the Government, the engagement of businesses, workers, and the entire people are needed, he underscored.

The General Secretary hailed the relentless efforts and achievements by Vietnam's digital technology firms who have created innovative products and solutions applied to various fields, from manufacturing to services, helping fuel national digital transformation, improve growth quality, and better people's living standards.

Pointing out a number of limitations in the development of digital technology and digital technology firms, especially the uneven development among regions and poor infrastructure, the leader stressed the need for the industry and businesses to strive to secure technology independence and develop strategic technologies, serving as a stepping stone for building an independent and self-reliant economy. He also urged strong investment in modern technology infrastructure meeting international standards to facilitate nationwide connectivity and a digital economy.

It is necessary to design more policies to attract talents in high technology, support scientific research and innovation, thereby boosting domestic capacity and creating world-level digital technology enterprises. The development of a digital technology ecosystem should be accelerated, with close connections among businesses, universities, research institutes, and support organisations, he stated.

It is important to gradually form and foster digital economy sectors such as digital government, digital economy, and digital society, while providing conditions for digital technology enterprises to develop technological solutions applied to state management, improve public service quality, promote e-transactions, and increase IT access for citizens.

General Secretary Lam advised digital technology enterprises to set ambitious development goals for themselves and continuously improve both the quantity and quality of human resources.

They should strengthen cooperation with leading global technology organisations and companies, attract more research and development institutions to Vietnam, he said, pointing to the need to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to participate in global value chains and bring their digital products to international markets.

Particularly, Vietnamese digital technology enterprises need to show stronger consensus, determination, and ambition, and recognise that this is not just an opportunity but also a responsibility for each firm to contribute to the realisation of the major goals set by the Party and State in Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on making breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation, stressed the leader.

They should focus on developing breakthrough products and services that create real value to serve the interests of people and the economy while meeting demand in both domestic and international markets. Besides, they need to leverage strengths in intellectual power, human resources, and entrepreneurial spirit to contribute to the country's strong development in the new era, he stated.

The Party chief asked the MIC to promote its role in guiding and orienting development, creating optimal conditions for digital technology enterprises to thrive, settling existing obstacles, coordinating with minsitries, sectors and localities to build policies to promote the application of advanced technologies, improving digital infrastructure to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam’s digital technology sector, boosting the training of high-quality human resources, encouraging research and development activities, and building a sustainable technology ecosystem./.