HCM CITY— Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has called on the Saigon Hi-Tech Park to accelerate R&D to expand the number of technological inventions and innovations made by Vietnamese companies.

Speaking at a function held there yesterday to mark its 15^th anniversary, he praised the HCM City-based park’s remarkable achievements.

It houses 128 hi-tech manufacturing, services, research and development, training and incubation companies in the SHTP with a total investment of US$ 7 billion.

Phúc underlined the vital role of the park in attracting investment, creating a favourable environment for R&D, training, and incubation of high-tech enterprises and other start-ups.

He advised it to offer incentives to attract quality human resources, including foreign scientists, and strengthen collaboration with universities and enterprises to train scientists and engineers.

The SHTP has gradually become an attractive location for foreign investors, and now boasts the presence of many global corporations and technology companies, who have invested in manufacturing high-tech products here. They include Intel, Samsung, Sanofi, Schneider, Jabil, Microchip, Datalogic, Rockwell Automation, Nidec, Sonion, Nipro, and Microsoft.

The annual output of its tenants has been growing steadily, and has risen from US$ 0.5 billion in 2010 to $7.6 billion last year.

It is expected to top $12 billion this year. By 2020 its annual revenues are projected at around $20 billion, or around 10 per cent of the city’s GRDP.

The main reasons for the rising output are that the key products made in the zone meet global standards and the increasing value of R&D in its products, which is several times higher than for products in other industrial zones.

Since 2010 a total of 38 projects and enterprises have been incubated here, and the park now has many domestic high-tech brands such as FPT, Minh Nguyên, and Nanogen.

The park management has closely worked with the HCM City National University and several research institutes and universities to establish the Science City Study Technology North East City.

The companies based in the SHTP employ more than 36,700 workers, including more than 400 foreigners.

The number of highly skilled workers has increased gradually, and now accounts for 30 per cent of the workforce.

The park contributes 30 per cent of the city’s total exports.

City authorities have approved Saigon Hi-Tech Park No.2 on an area of 200 hectares in District 9.

The PM awarded the park the Labour Order, first class, for its contributions to the country’s hi-tech development.

Earlier, on Saturday, Phúc visited South Korean footwear company Tea Kwang Vina in Biên Hòa Industrial Park 2 in Đồng Nai Province.

He met with officials from the Việt Nam General Federation of Labour and local authorities to discuss the condition of workers in the park and their career development. —VNS