Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on October 28 attended the inauguration ceremony of a new establishment of the National Innovation Centre at Hanoi-based Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park (NIC Hoa Lac), and the opening of the Vietnam International Innovation Expo (VIIE) 2023, during which he affirmed science, technology, and innovation can help Vietnam board the world's “development and growth ship”.

PM Chinh said that innovation is an inevitable trend, a strategic breakthrough choice for the country, and an objective requirement to realise the aspiration to build a strong and prosperous nation with wealthy and happy people.

Therefore, the Party and State have paid attention to and issued many policies and guidelines to direct the development of science and technology and innovation, considering it as a top national policy.

The Government has been also implementing specific action programmes to step up the comprehensive development of the innovation ecosystem, create an environment to promote research and development, application of science and technology and technology transfer.

He spoke highly of the VIIE’s significance in introducing the image of a creative and innovative nation to the public and the international community, and showing the country’s potential, advantages and progress in innovation, and its access to and application of the fourth Industrial Revolution’s achievements in socio-economic development.

Mentioning NIC Hoa Lac, the Government leader expressed his hope that the centre will create a new innovation space for the country; clearly demonstrate the spirit of daring to think, daring to do, daring to innovate for development; and become a model of innovation of Vietnam.

According to the PM, the completion and operation of NIC Hoa Lac has a great role and significance in developing the startup ecosystem, which is the beginning of a new phase of development in providing concerted infrastructure to further accelerate and strengthen Vietnam's innovation ecosystem.

In order to maximise investment efficiency for NIC, PM Chinh assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Science and Technology and other ministries, agencies and businesses to make greater efforts, and take advantage of more cooperation opportunities with international partners.

He requested improvements in institutions and policies for innovation activities in Vietnam, thus promptly meeting the practical development requirements of ecosystem actors, especially innovative businesses and startups.

The five-day VIIE is seeing the participation of many tech giants such as SK, Samsung, Google, Meta, Signify, Intel, VISA, Viettel, FPT, Thaco, VNPT, Sovico, VNG, and MoMo.

The expo is expected to showcase innovative solutions, initiatives, and hi-tech products in eight priority fields, namely smart factory, smart city, digital content, network security, environmental technology, semiconductor industry, hydrogen, and health.

It also provides innovative technology knowledge, update attendees with the current status and trends of domestic and international technology development through symposiums.

Within the framework of the expo, PM Chinh and other delegates witnessed the hand-over of cooperation agreements between NIC and its 11 leading Vietnamese and foreign partners in the fields of science, technology and training, including the Vietnam National University, Hanoi and the Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City; VNPT; FPT; Sovico; Google; SpaxeX; Intel and Samsung.

Winners of the Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2023 were also honoured at the event./.VNA