Strategic Dialogue Forum: Leveraging strategic technologies in establishing Vietnam's new growth model
WVR - On June 25, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology, Columbia University (USA), the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), organized the Strategic Dialogue Forum with the theme “Establishing a New Growth Model: Leveraging Strategic Technologies to Enhance Competitiveness and Sustainable Growth”.
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| Overview of the Forum. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
The forum was organized to enhance substantive dialogue mechanisms between the "State - Academia - Enterprises" in developing strategic technologies. It aims to provide advice, propose solutions, and determine cooperation mechanisms to apply technologies in practical production, creating breakthroughs in productivity and national competitiveness in the new development phase.
The forum was attended by Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang; Deputy Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology, and Environment Nguyen Thi Mai Phuong; Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi Bui The Duy; OECD Deputy Secretary-General Yasushi Masaki; Professor Merit Janow, Dean Emerita of the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University; Professor Nguyen Thi Lien Hang, Director of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University, along with about 200 delegates representing international organizations, experts from ERIA Institute, TBI Institute, Fulbright University... and several leading international and Vietnamese technology corporations such as Google, Intel, Marvell, GE, Amazon, Meta, SK, FPT, Viettel Hightech, VNG, Realtime Robotics...
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| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang delivering the opening speech. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang emphasized that the world is witnessing significant transformative shifts as technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, quantum, new materials, and clean energy are reshaping global growth models.
For Vietnam, after 40 years of Doi Moi with impressive growth achievements, science, technology, and innovation need to be placed at the center to become a stronger driving force.
The Deputy Minister hopes the Forum will focus on clarifying the role of institutional creation, building synchronized infrastructure, attracting international investment funds, and promoting the "three-house" ecosystem to effectively commercialize technology products.
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| Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan speaking at the Forum. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
In his keynote speech, Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan affirmed that future competitive advantage no longer lies in raw materials or cheap labor, but in human creativity and intellect.
The overarching spirit is to build a knowledge-based development model where humans and enterprises are central, and the State plays a facilitating role. To realize this vision, Minister Vu Hai Quan highlighted three strategic transformations to focus on:
Firstly, transitioning from technology reception to technology mastery. Vietnam must gradually participate in the research and innovation value chain, especially in strategic fields like AI, semiconductors, clean energy, and new materials.
Secondly, shifting from resource-based growth to innovation-driven growth, focusing on attracting, promoting, and maximizing conditions for creative talents.
Thirdly, moving from low-cost advantage to competitive advantage through technology, ensuring self-reliance and proactively positioning Vietnam at a higher rung in the global value chain.
The Minister also posed three important discussion questions for the Forum regarding institutions (flexible sandbox mechanisms), cooperation (breakthrough public-private partnerships), and implementation (strong investment solutions for widespread technology application across the entire economy).
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| OECD Deputy Secretary-General Yasushi Masaki speaking at the Forum. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Within the Forum's framework, OECD Deputy Secretary-General Yasushi Masaki unveiled the OECD FDI Qualities Review of Viet Nam. Mr. Masaki praised Vietnam's growth potential in the coming period and its position in production chains as it continues to be a bright spot for investment attraction.
The OECD Deputy Secretary-General noted that the growth model based on scale expansion and exports is gradually reaching its limits due to limited linkage between foreign and domestic enterprises and modest R&D investment rates.
To shift towards high-quality FDI, promoting green and digital transitions, the Deputy Secretary-General recommended Vietnam focus on four reform priorities: enhancing policy consistency; modernizing the legal framework; tightening the linkage between multinational corporations and domestic enterprises; and adopting strategic data-driven investment promotion methods.
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| The Strategic Dialogue Forum featured 05 in-depth discussion sessions, focusing on highly practical topics related to the development of science, technology, and innovation in Vietnam. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
The Strategic Dialogue Forum featured 05 in-depth discussion sessions, gathering over 30 reputable speakers from both domestic and international backgrounds. These sessions focused on highly practical topics related to the development of science, technology, and innovation in Vietnam.
The discussions explored ways to strengthen the "three-house" linkages to enhance technology application and commercialization; proposals for controlled experimental mechanisms in science and technology development, enhancing localization capabilities, and supporting Vietnamese enterprises to participate more deeply in the global supply chain to absorb strategic technologies.
The speeches also emphasized the need to quickly transition from orientation to implementation by establishing specific partnership frameworks and projects in priority areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital economy, clean energy, advanced materials...
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| Delegates taking a group photo. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
