Visitors at the Hà Nội Industrial Products, Machinery, Equipment and Automation Fair 2023. — VNS Photo

With the increasing role of science and technology in the development of the capital in general and in solving social problems in particular, changes to the amended Capital Law are expected to create breakthrough mechanisms and policies, becoming an important driving force for sustainable development.

The capital city Hà Nội ranks first in favourable factors for developing science and technology in Việt Nam.

Scientific and technological infrastructure, investment resources for science and technology, potential and innovation of the capital city are high. However, the city has not yet fully exploited these advantages.

One of the reasons given by experts is inadequacies in science and technology policies. Specifically, the policy of meritocracy has been paid attention, but the incentive mechanism is not attractive or strong enough to draw leading science and technology human resources, talented scientists and foreign scientists to co-operate and support the solution of key issues of the city.

The city's science and technology management policy has not had breakthrough innovations, and has not created an open and favourable mechanism to maximise the potential of physical facilities and intellectual resources; with a lack of outstanding mechanisms and policies to support the transfer and application of results and products from city-level science and technology tasks.

Associate Professor Dr Bùi Thị An, a member of the 13th National Assembly and president of Hà Nội's Female Intellectual Association, assessed that the draft Law on the Capital (amended) has fully concretised the spirit of Resolution 15-NQ/TW of the Politburo on directions and tasks for developing the Capital by 2030 with vision to 2045, with many new points promoting the development of science and technology associated with production practices; building it to become the leading centre of technology innovation, research, development, and transfer of the country and the region.

“Towards the goal of building the capital city Hà Nội into the leading centre of innovation, scientific research, technology transfer and development of the country, moving forward to become a centre of science, technology and innovation of the Southeast Asia region, it is required that the Capital Law (amended) must have new, breakout and outstanding policy solutions to develop science, technology and innovation," An said.

Specifically, the city is prescribed special preferential and supporting measures in attracting, using and promoting potential, and honouring good experts and scientists.

The city encouraged and supported businesses and science and technology organisations to participate in technology incubation and innovation activities, business incubation, and development of the capital's creative start-up ecosystem; as well as mechanisms to support, transfer and apply results and products from tasks.

The content of this measure is institutionalised in the draft Law on the Capital (amended) in Article 25 on science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation.

“The Draft Law on the Capital (amended) has seen the capital's unique points to bring in the law, which is a very good thing. In addition, if passed, the amended law will negate previous laws that are not appropriate. However, I suggest that in the decrees, the instructions need to be more specific and detailed so as to ensure the implementation of the law," commented An.

Research at the Việt Nam National Space Centre under the Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology. — VNS Photo

It is expected that changed mechanisms and policies will help the Party and State's guidelines and policies on science and technology development be realised, contributing to make science and technology truly become the driving force for socio-economic development; improving the overall science and technology level of capital city and the whole country.

Lao động Thủ đô (Capital City's Labourers) newspaper quoted Nguyễn Văn An, living in Cầu Giấy District, saying that Hà Nội was a city with great potential in science and technology with a diverse network of science and technology organisations.

Developing regulations on science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation in the draft amended Capital Law was very practical, he said.

“Through research, I assess that the Capital Law (amended) has many new points, contributing to promote science and technology. In particular, Article 25 of the draft is truly an innovation in the perception of policies for science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation,” he added.

With current regulations, these amendments were expected to create an innovative mechanism that would contribute to the development of the capital city worthy of the position and role that the Party, State and People believed in," said An. — VNS