Officials of Việt Nam's Ministry of Science and Technology brief the media at a regular press conference in Hà Nội on Friday, highlighting plans to accelerate the implementation of strategic technology initiatives and digital transformation policies. — Photo chinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) is shifting its focus from policymaking to implementation as it seeks to turn science, technology, innovation and digital transformation into new engines of economic growth.

Speaking at the ministry's regular press conference on Friday, Deputy Minister Bùi Hoàng Phương said the priority is no longer whether to pursue strategic technologies, but how to deploy them effectively through improved financial mechanisms, regulatory reforms and closer coordination with businesses and local authorities.

The ministry said it has largely completed the legal framework supporting key legislation, including the Law on Digital Transformation and the Law on High Technology, and is now accelerating implementation. Current priorities include developing strategic technology enterprises, expanding the digital economy and creating a more favorable environment for research commercialisation and innovation.

MoST is also introducing new mechanisms to commission large-scale research projects targeting national development challenges. To date, the ministry has received 31 proposals for strategic technology missions and continues to refine funding and evaluation procedures to encourage research with greater commercial potential.

Innovation indicators continued to improve during July. Việt Nam climbed five places to rank 50th in the 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index, while the country now has 964 certified science and technology enterprises and 46 innovation support organisations.

Digital transformation remained another bright spot. The National Data Exchange Platform has processed more than 4.6 billion transactions, and 32.5 million digital signature certificates have been issued nationwide. MoST is also expanding regulatory sandbox mechanisms to help emerging technologies reach the market more quickly and support the development of the digital economy.

Việt Nam's digital infrastructure also continued to strengthen. Mobile broadband speed reached 210.85 Mbps, ranking ninth globally, while IPv6 adoption rose to 67 per cent, the second-highest level in Southeast Asia. The country now has more than 81,600 digital technology enterprises, as the government advances policies supporting artificial intelligence, digital assets and next-generation digital industries.

Scientific research maintained solid momentum during the month. Vietnamese researchers published 2,658 papers indexed in the Scopus database, while MoST allocated VNĐ292 billion to research projects and continued building a national mechanism for strategic technology development.

The ministry also highlighted progress in bringing advanced technologies into practical use. During July, it launched a nationwide pilot of an artificial intelligence platform supporting public administration and successfully tested a drone detection and counter-UAV system at Đà Nẵng International Airport, demonstrating efforts to accelerate the commercialisation and deployment of strategic technologies.

Looking ahead, MoST said it will work with ministries and local governments to identify major national challenges that can be addressed through Vietnamese-developed technologies.

The ministry also plans to continue supporting innovative enterprises, expanding the science and technology market, completing the National Portal for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation Initiatives, and implementing the Government's 100-day action plan to remove bottlenecks in digital transformation.

Concluding the press conference, Deputy Minister Phương said science, technology, innovation and digital transformation must deliver measurable economic value by improving productivity, strengthening business competitiveness and creating new momentum for sustainable growth. "The focus now is on implementation," he said, adding that the Ministry will prioritise putting policy into practice as quickly as possible. — VNS