Châu Văn Minh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology

As the 13th National Party Congress draws near, Châu Văn Minh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, talks to the Vietnam News Agency about the expectations of science and technology for the country's development

Can you evaluate the implementation of the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Party in science and technology?

Regarding guidelines and directions, the 11th Party Congress issued Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW, dated October 31, 2012, 'On scientific development. and technology for industrialisation and modernisation in the context of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration'. The resolution affirms the development and application of science and technology is the top national policy and is one of the most important motivations for socio-economic development and national defence.

By the 12th congress, our Party continued to affirm the role and position of science and technology for the country's development. Science and technology are really the top national policy, the most important driving force for the development of modern production, industrialisation and modernisation.

Proper awareness of the Party's leadership and direction, the Government's drastic and timely implementation, science and technology have contributed to rapid and sustainable economic, social and environmental development. Economic growth has been maintained at a relatively high level. In 2011 - 2015, the average GDP growth rate reached 5.9 per cent, in 2016 - 2019 it was 6.8 per cent. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the growth rate is estimated at a lower number.

The quality of growth has improved, labour productivity has been significantly raised. Economic growth gradually depends less on resource exploitation and more on the application of science, technology and innovation, and an innovative and perfect growth model.

The economic structure of industries has changed positively, the proportion of processing, manufacturing and application of high-tech industries has increased. Many production models applying high technology have been established, like high-tech agriculture, clean and organic agriculture. The quality of a wide range of products has come to meet safety requirements according to international standards. Environmental issues have been solved on the basis of science and international law. Quality of growth is improving day by day. The industry's global competitiveness increased from 58 in 2009 to 42 in 2019. Việt Nam's global business environment ranking position has improved significantly.

Human resource development is promoted, especially high-quality human resources, and more closely linked with market demand. National scientific and technological potential has been strengthened. Some fields of natural sciences have reached regional and international advanced level. Our country is capable of successfully designing and manufacturing a lot of technology and equipment to international standards. The system of key laboratories and specialised laboratories continues to be paid attention to. Research infrastructure in some key fields such as biotechnology, petrochemical, materials, automation, nautical, computing technology and medicine has been strengthened.

International co-operation in science and technology has seen many positive changes. The protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights have been strengthened, while the number of intellectual property and industrial property titles has increased rapidly. The national standard system is increasingly approaching international standards. A database of technologies and experts has been formed. The innovative start-up ecosystem is quite well developed. Việt Nam's innovation index in 2019 is at the top of the low-middle-income group.

What are the highlights for science and technology in the draft documents of the 13th congress? What are your expectations and beliefs in the country's development after the congress?

Highlights for the field of science and technology in the Draft Political Report of the Party Central Committee at the congress outlines the orientations and long-term fundamental solutions. It is the development of the science and technology system that is an important component of the social system.

The development of our country in the next five years will embrace the profound effects of the fourth Industrial Revolution, a thriving digital economy, and global competition right in Việt Nam. Natural resources are increasingly becoming more limited, the ecological environment is at risk of pollution, intellectual property disputes are becoming harsher, and innovation is the foundation for competition on each product. Demand for personal consumption and demand for better living conditions have increased.

This requires science and technology to participate in the development of the country, to participate in creating a science and technology ecosystem in all structures, pillars and development subjects. According to the horizontal structure, all economic sectors, economic entities and structural constituents of society must consider science and technology, innovation a driving force to create development momentum for organisations and individuals.

I realise that the 13th National Party Congress is of particular importance to the development of the country not only for the five-year term from 2021-2025 but also for the further future of the country.

The congress is a major event where many important contents will be discussed, where the entire Party, the entire people and the entire political system, will review and evaluate what has been implemented in the last five-year term. From this theoretical and practical basis, the congress will focus on analysing, taking into account international and domestic relations, accumulated experiences, cultural values and national solidarity to propose solutions, orientations, and select qualified and qualified cadres to implement the Party's platform and issue resolutions of the congress.

After the congress, Party branches from central to local levels, as well as all Party members and cadres, will have to immediately implement the Resolution of the 13th Congress. Each Party member, each branch, field, and locality will have to develop an innovative way to implement the Resolution, build a detailed, feasible action plan for rapid and sustainable economic and social development, in order to contribute to the development of the country. VNS