Comrade Nguyen Hong Dien – Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Industry and Trade – gives an interview to a reporter from the Industry and Trade Newspaper on the occasion of Vietnam Science and Technology Day, May 18.

Science and technology (S&T) and innovation are identified as a breakthrough to renew the growth model, improve productivity, quality, and enhance the competitiveness of products. From the perspective of the Industry and Trade sector, could the Minister share some observations on the role of S&T in the sector's development in the current period, given the profound impacts of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the process of economic integration?

 

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien: S&T plays an important role in promoting economic growth at the national, sectoral, and enterprise levels. At the macro level, the development of S&T has a decisive impact on long-term growth and growth quality through its effects on aggregate supply and demand. S&T products contribute directly to GDP. S&T facilitates the transition of the growth model from extensive to intensive, contributing to the progressive restructuring of the economy. At the enterprise level, S&T helps enhance the competitiveness of products and enterprises. A nation with strong S&T capabilities is a nation with high international competitiveness.

 

In the recent period, S&T has made significant contributions to the development of the Industry and Trade sector. Scientific research activities, application of technological innovation, and innovation within enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector, especially in processing and manufacturing enterprises, have continuously developed and shown notable positive changes. Vietnamese products not only basically meet domestic consumption needs but have also reached the world market. Many of our country's export items have achieved high rankings in global export performance.

 

COMRADE NGUYEN HONG DIEN – MEMBER OF THE PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE, MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE: "On the occasion of Vietnam S&T Day, I would like to extend my congratulations to scientists, officials, and civil servants working in the field of S&T in the Industry and Trade sector. I wish you all good health, success, and continued contributions of your intellect and creativity to the development of S&T as well as the development of the Industry and Trade sector."

 

Vietnam has risen to become one of the countries with a relatively high global industrial competitiveness index (CIP), belonging to the group of countries with medium-high industrial competitiveness. S&T policies, along with various support activities from the State and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, are factors driving the meaningful contributions of S&T to the development of the sector, fields, and individual enterprises, especially in recent years.

 

According to statistical results, for the period 2010 – 2018, the contribution of total factor productivity (TFP) growth to the VA (value added) growth of several key industries showed an increasing trend: In 2010, the contribution of TFP growth was 44.74%; by 2018, this figure had risen to 50.99%, higher than the TFP contribution of the entire economy, in which the contribution of technological progress to labor productivity growth in key industries was 105.8%.

 

The proportion of enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector participating in technological innovation activities is increasing. World Bank reports indicate that Vietnamese enterprises have spent approximately 1.6% of their annual revenue on R&D. Many corporations and enterprises have established S&T development funds to promote S&T activities and innovation.

 

The 4th Industrial Revolution is and will continue to have very strong impacts on the production of each country. Particularly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the process of applying new technologies and implementing digital transformation in various fields of social life is occurring rapidly. Leveraging the achievements of the 4th Industrial Revolution, strongly promoting S&T and innovation with enterprises as the focus, is the foundational factor and fundamental solution for the Industry and Trade sector to carry out a thorough restructuring in the period 2021 – 2030, maximizing and best utilizing the opportunities arising from the current process of international economic integration.

 

To meet the requirements of tasks in the new situation, what priorities will the Ministry of Industry and Trade set for scientific research and technology development activities, Minister?

 

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien: The role of S&T and innovation in the country's economic development has been reaffirmed and once again deepened in the documents of the 13th Party Congress. For S&T and innovation to fulfill their proper role, strong changes in strategic thinking and implementation organization are needed. Placing enterprises at the center of the innovation system, building a policy system oriented towards serving innovation; respecting the specific nature of creative labor, accepting risks and time lags in science, removing arbitrary and administrative barriers in S&T activities; investing strongly in S&T and innovation, especially prioritizing applied research activities with a policy of "catching up" and moving towards "leading" in technology for manufacturing enterprises, forming a high-quality technical workforce, attracting and developing talent... these are the core solutions for developing S&T and innovation in the coming period.

 

For the Industry and Trade sector, in the new context and requirements, the focus of S&T research activities will concentrate on the following major issues:

First, developing S&T and innovation in conjunction with the restructuring process of the Industry and Trade sector, achieving the development goals for specific sectors and fields in the period 2021 – 2030; creating a solid foundation to help enterprises improve productivity, quality, and competitiveness, thereby better utilizing market access opportunities from trade agreements and participating deeply in global supply chains. Focusing on building and implementing key S&T programs of the Ministry linked to the development of foundational and spearhead industries. Particularly, prioritizing the implementation of activities to support enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector in applying new technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

 

Second, promoting S&T activities and innovation within enterprises. Management agencies will play the role of connecting, guiding, supporting, and establishing foundational elements for the technological innovation process of enterprises. Implementing the connection of the Ministry's key S&T programs with the S&T activities of enterprises in the sector.

 

Third, building and promoting the potential of S&T organizations; improving the efficiency and quality of research, consulting, and technology transfer activities of public S&T organizations; simultaneously, mobilizing the participation of S&T enterprises, domestic and foreign research and consulting units with strengths and leadership in S&T fields, aiming to form a diverse, flexible, closely connected ecosystem that strongly promotes S&T activities within enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector.

 

Fourth, strongly innovating the management, guidance, and organization of S&T activities in the Industry and Trade sector in a modern direction, focusing on efficiency through renewing management regulations, simplifying implementation procedures, and promoting the application of information technology to enhance consistency and transparency...

 

One of the key issues in the S&T activities of the Industry and Trade sector in the coming time is supporting enterprises in applying and innovating technology following the trends of the 4th Industrial Revolution. Could the Minister provide more details on the implementation of this content?

 

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien: The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been assigned by the Government to develop and submit to the Prime Minister for approval the Project on supporting enterprises in applying 4.0 technology and developing smart manufacturing for the period up to 2030. The contents of the Project are assessed as strategic solutions in the process of restructuring the Industry and Trade sector for the period 2021 – 2030, as well as realizing the goal of industrialization and modernization in the next phase.

 

Implementing the Government's direction, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has established a Drafting Committee, quickly organized groups of experienced experts from within and outside the Ministry to develop the Project, with the desire to create breakthrough points in both the design and implementation of the Project after approval. We determine that the application of new technologies and the development of smart manufacturing all aim towards the ultimate goal of supporting enterprises in digital transformation. In essence, this is about building a new version of the enterprise in the form of a suitable model to address challenges and leverage the benefits offered by the digital environment.

 

From a holistic perspective, the Project is built upon detailed research and analysis of specific factors affecting the digital transformation activities of enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector. The competitiveness and production and business efficiency of enterprises in the digital environment depend not only on investment in technology but also on management capabilities, business acumen, development strategy, innovation, corporate culture... with "digital" characteristics.

 

From that perspective, the Project will comprehensively approach strategic content to support enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector in digital transformation, rather than solely focusing on technology investment. The Project proposes activities to support enterprises in enhancing their "transformation" capacity as a prerequisite for entering the "digital" phase.

 

Considering individualization, as enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector make significant contributions to the economy, implementing digital transformation requires breakthroughs while still ensuring the stability of the enterprise. With this view, imposing a common digital transformation method on all enterprises with different production models, business types, and capabilities is ineffective. Therefore, the Project will focus on supporting enterprises to enhance their capacity to choose an appropriate approach method and digital transformation roadmap suited to their conditions before proceeding, in order to improve the effectiveness of this activity.

 

In this regard, with the goal of supporting enterprises to access, select, and effectively implement digital transformation plans and solutions suitable to their current status and conditions, the solutions for implementing the Project will focus on the following five core groups of issues:

 

Establishing an enabling environment: Creating a highly supportive policy and legal environment for enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector to undergo digital transformation; fostering deep awareness: Enhancing the awareness and understanding of digital transformation across the sector, alongside forming a sustainable support mechanism for enterprises undergoing digital transformation. Next, building creative capacity: Supporting enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector to develop the capacity to implement digital transformation, including human resources, technological and creative capabilities, data resources, and digital infrastructure for digital transformation; providing professional guidance: Directly supporting the digital transformation activities of enterprises in an effective and sustainable manner, including professional digital transformation human resources for enterprises, pilot projects to lay the foundation for forming an innovation culture and digital platforms, mechanisms, and resources to support digital transformation for Industry and Trade enterprises; developing a sustainable vision: Forming sustainable digital transformation elements for enterprises in the Industry and Trade sector, such as monitoring progress, assessing the impact of digital transformation activities on the enterprise for appropriate adjustments, aiming towards a digital economy...

 

A working delegation from the Department of Science and Technology visits the Center for Machinery and Automation

May 18 annually has been chosen as Vietnam Science and Technology Day. Could the Minister share about the activities of the Ministry of Industry and Trade to respond to Vietnam Science and Technology Day this year?

 

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien: After the Law on Science and Technology No. 29/2013/QH13 took effect, May 18 officially became Vietnam Science and Technology Day. This is an important event, organized annually to commend and honor scientists and the team of S&T personnel; to propagate and disseminate S&T achievements and results of innovation activities. "Science, Technology, and Innovation – Awakening Aspirations, Shaping the Future" becomes the theme of S&T Day 2021. This continues to affirm that S&T and innovation will become one of the important foundations shaping the aspiration for a prosperous and happy Vietnam.

 

2021 is a very important milestone, marking the beginning of a new development period. The activities of the Ministry of Industry and Trade to respond to this year's S&T Day are also very special. To honor individuals and collectives with outstanding achievements, and typical S&T results and works of the sector in the period 2016 – 2020, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has reviewed and evaluated proposed dossiers for commendation. This activity not only aims to recognize and honor the achievements and contributions of each individual and collective but, more importantly, we hope to create motivation and a competitive spirit in S&T activities for each individual, unit, and enterprise.

 

Also on this occasion, we will review and evaluate the activities of S&T organizations under the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the recent period; identify orientations, priorities, and specific solutions for the next period. Given the strong restructuring requirements of the Industry and Trade sector, the opportunities and challenges from the 4th Industrial Revolution and the integration process, the strength of the system of S&T organizations is one of the most important factors determining the role and contribution of S&T and innovation in the sector's development.

 

Furthermore, to respond to this year's S&T Day, in a very special context where the whole country is united in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has guided S&T organizations, enterprises, and its press agencies to organize meaningful response activities while ensuring epidemic prevention requirements, such as: Organizing information and propaganda activities on S&T policies and laws; achievements and results of innovation activities in various fields and enterprises of the Industry and Trade sector; launching scientific research movements, promoting technical improvement initiatives, and movements for improving productivity and quality within enterprises; organizing commendations for outstanding collectives and individuals with significant contributions to the S&T development cause of enterprises, units, and the Industry and Trade sector...

 

Sincerely thank the Minister!

 

Source: Industry and Trade Newspaper: https://congthuong.vn/khoa-hoc-va-cong-nghe-nen-tang-quan-trong-de-tai-co-cau-nganh-cong-thuong-157186.html