Party chief chairs 1st meeting of steering committee for science, technology development

Party General Secretary To Lam (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Party General Secretary To Lam chaired the first meeting of the Central Steering Committee for the Development of Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation in Hanoi on January 20.

Addressing the event, Lam, who is head of the steering committee, stressed that the implementation of tasks should focus on and prioritise the core issues outlined in the Politburo's Resolution No.57-NQ/TW, dated on December 22, 2024, on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation, with emphasis placed on removing institutional barriers to the development of science and technology.

The steering committee must ensure effective operations, avoid formalities and not perform the responsibilities of functional agencies, he said, adding that it should promote the role of each member and listen to ideas and opinions from leading experts and feedback from the grassroots level to identify urgent, fundamental, and breakthrough issues to focus on.

Tasks should be carried out with determination and urgency; and each must be specifically assigned, with measurable indicators and clear timelines, Lam noted.

Regarding a national advisory council, the General Secretary emphasised that the council’s structure should ensure a balanced representation of leading scientists and experts in various fields, with priority given to those who are reputable and have outstanding achievements. The council should also include representatives from businesses and managers to ensure practical effectiveness.

He appreciated the proposal to develop an index for monitoring, supervising, and evaluating the implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, and requested that it be urgently completed and put into use in the second quarter of 2025 to accurately assess results and promptly address bottlenecks.

He asked the Prime Minister, who is a deputy head of the steering committee, to direct relevant agencies to launch an emulation movement across the political system to implement the resolution; research and propose reforms to the financial management mechanism for carrying out science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation tasks; simplify administrative procedures as much as possible; and grant autonomy in the use of funding for science and technology research and development.

The Government should also have a specific plan to develop a high-quality workforce, especially scientific and technological talent, and create a draft special mechanism to attract highly skilled Vietnamese expatriates and foreigners to work and live in Vietnam, thus contributing to the country’s science and technology development, said Lam.

For the steering committee’s members, the Party leader asked the Minister of Public Security to coordinate the development of an ecosystem for Project 06 on developing applications of residents data and electronic identification and authentication to serve digital transformation, and the National Data Centre to put these services into use soon.

The Minister of Information and Communications was tasked with overseeing the nationwide rollout of the 5G broadband mobile network, while the Minister of Science and Technology was required to lead the development and submission of a strategic technology and industry development programme for approval by competent authorities.

Lam also requested the Minister of Finance to allocate state budget funding for the scientific mission to support strategic technologies, in line with the requirements of Resolution No. 57, and the Minister of Planning and Investment to order drafting and submitting a public-private partnership policy for the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation to competent authorities for approval./.