Staff work at a centre that applies scientific and technological advances to create new strains of plants in the Mekong Delta’s Kiên Giang Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đạt

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has stressed the important role played by science and technology in promoting production value and economic growth, and asked for more effort to effectively develop the sector in the future.

Speaking at a conference held by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Hà Nội yesterday to review scientific and technological activities in 2017, the Government leader praised state management of science and technology at all levels in the year.
"It is necessary to continue creating breakthroughs in improving the innovation index and consider enterprises a centre of innovation," he said.
Attention should be paid to building laws related to science and technology development and policies on using human resources, as well as increasing investment in the sector, he noted. 
PM Phúc also pointed out shortcomings that must be solved in order to promote the application of science and technology in production and business activities, and commercialisation of science-technology products.
Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Tuấn Anh said the sector served as a driving force for the nation’s socio-economic development.
The year 2017 witnessed great efforts in renovating state management and effective collaboration among ministries and sectors to foster the development of science and technology, he added.
Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngọc Anh said the ministry would continue fine-tuning legal regulations; encourage the implementation of science and technology tasks in connection with enterprises’ development and promote the application of high technologies in agriculture development, especially for key farm products for export. — VNS