HÀ NỘI — The Government will issue a new decree on mechanisms for the Hòa Lạc Hi-Tech Park, enabling it to play an extremely important role in enhancing the country’s science and technology capacity, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said on Thursday on a visit to the park.

After touring several infrastructural facilities and investment projects, the PM said the foremost task is to build a brand for the Hòa Lạc Hi-Tech Park to draw investors.

He pointed out shortcomings facing the park, including few hi-tech projects in comparison with oher industrial parks and snail-speed land clearance.

Located in the Thạch Thất and Quốc Oai districts of Hà Nội, on an area of 1,586 hectares, the Hòa Lạc Hi-Tech Park is expected to become a science city hosting investors in biotechnology, information, communication, new material technology and automation.

Modern infrastructure is being built at the park using the State budget and the official development assistance (ODA) supported by the Japanese government.

The park counts 78 valid investment projects, including nine foreign ones, with a total registered capital of over VNĐ60 trillion (US$2.68 million), in the spheres of high technology, training, trade and services, and social infrastructure.

Thirty-six projects have been put into operation, involving more than 10,000 people. Their total import-export turnover is estimated at over $2.4 billion in 2016. FPT is currently the biggest investor of the park with two projects: FPT Software Village and FPT University.

Phúc asked the Park Management Board and capital city authorities to complete land clearance this year, while entrusting the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to report to him a plan to supplement capital for land clearance and technical infrastructure construction at the park.

The PM tasked the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Management Board to co-ordinate with Hà Nội authorities along with the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Government Office, and the Ministry of Planning and Investment, to promote investment at the park while ensuring environmental protection and sustainable development.

Apart from infrastructure investment, it is necessary to select and draw knowledge-intensive manufacturing businesses to create high-quality and internationally-recognised products, he advised.

Once in six months, the PM or Deputy PM will visit the park in order to remove obstacles arising during the implementing of the project, he added.

He expressed his hope that the Hòa Lạc Hi-Tech Park will become an information technology and biotechnology start-up centre. — VNS