Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (right) bestowed the first-class Labour Order, the noble distinction of the Party and State, to the Ministry of Science and Technology in a ceremony held in Hà Nội on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Saturday presented the first-class Labour Order, the noble distinction of the Party and State, to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) in recognition of its outstanding contributions to country building and safeguarding.

The ministry received the honour at a ceremony marking its 60th founding anniversary in Hà Nội.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngọc Anh said the MoST was first established as the Việt Nam State Science and Technics Committee in 1959 and has been renamed several times before becoming the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2002.

No matter what name it carries, the MoST has always served as the highest think-tank for the Party, National Assembly and Government in outlining and implementing policies for science, technology and innovation.

In the era of international integration with numerous opportunities and challenges such as the fourth industrial revolution and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as well as other new-generation free trade agreements, the MoST will continue striving to tap people’s creativity and businesses’ investment resources, as well as work closely with ministries, agencies and localities to perform science-tech tasks, thus making practical contributions to the country’s socio-economic development, he said.

In his speech, PM Phúc emphasised that science and technology is the decisive factor for long-term growth and the key for Việt Nam to avoid the middle-income trap.

He urged scientific and technological researchers to keep up their passion for research and innovation to promote science-technology development in the future.

“In reality, many countries who were not blessed with rich resources have actually attained high level of development, and vice versa. The difference lies in science and technology as it becomes increasingly important as the natural resources are being depleted fast,” Phúc said, adding that the resources Việt Nam should rely on are its ‘brainpower’ and creativity in order to foster our growth and development.

Within the framework of the ceremony, an exhibition featuring the science-technology sector’s development in the past six decades was held, introducing products and services used for mechanical engineering, electronics and telecommunications, medicine and pharmaceuticals, among others, along with materials reviewing the history of the sector with important milestones. — VNS