Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Central Propaganda Department Nguyen Trong Nghia held a working session with the HCM City Hi-tech Park on May 11, where participants offered suggestions on how to attract intellectuals, experts and scientists to implement industrialization and modernization.

Pham Chanh Truc, former Deputy Permanent Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee, said the hi-tech zone management scheme feels like "a shirt which is too tight" and there should be renovation in management organization.

Previously, when a hi-tech zone was established, with the one-stop-shop mechanism, paperwork could be settled very quickly. 

But now, there are many procedures that need to be followed which cause inconveniences. 

In many cases, opinions of ministries and branches are required, because the central government manages hi-tech zones.

He said that it is still difficult to attract intellectuals, specialists and scientists to work for hi-tech zones because the wages and allowances are not attractive.

He suggested a new open policy on determining remuneration for experts and scientists, which would allow them to have outstanding wages depending on work results.

“To attract talents, I think it would be better to exempt and reduce personal income tax for experts for five years or longer. Only by doing this will we be able to attract excellent scientists for hi-tech zones and for all of HCM City,” Truc said.

Head of the HCM City Hi-tech Zone Board of Management Nguyen Anh Thi said: “We just need to activate the policy on exempting PIT for experts and scientists for five years to lure talents”.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh said that it is necessary to attract overseas Vietnamese experts to return to work in Vietnam by offering them good working environment, including favorable tax policies.

The Ministry of Science and Technology and HCM City are working together to develop a specific mechanism for HCM City. If it succeeds in HCM City Hi-tech Zone, it will be applied widely throughout the country. 

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam said that it is necessary to pilot outstanding mechanisms and policies in science and technology. If involved parties have to wait for regulations to be amended, opportunities will be missed.