The Government of Vietnam considers the fourth Industrial Revolution (also known as Industry 4.0), especially aspects concerning artificial intelligence, a huge opportunity for Vietnam to become a modern, industrialised nation in the near future, said Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung.

Sophia (R), the world's first robot declared a citizen, at the Industry 4.0 Summit and Exhibition 2018 held in Hanoi last month

“Industry 4.0 is a shortcut to bring the country to modernity and prosperity,” Dung said at a press conference in Hanoi on August 10, providing information on Vietnam’s innovation network programme.

The fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the current world, from business production to services provision, he said, adding that the movement has created a golden opportunity for Vietnam to catch up with the latest technological and economic development trends around the world.

The minister said that the Party and State have always paid due attention to gathering Vietnamese talents in the fields of science and technology to serve the country’s development.

Following the direction of PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is building a national strategy for Industry 4.0 which will be reported back to the government leader at the year’s end. 

The ministry is also working on establishing a national innovation centre and a network of human resources which can assist with implementing the national Industry 4.0 strategy, Dung said.

It will coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training, as well as other agencies and localities to organise the Vietnam innovation network programme, he added.

The programme, initiated by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, aims to mobilise Vietnamese experts in the field, including those working in foreign countries with advanced science-technology development.

Tran Quoc Phuong, Director of the MPI’s National Economic Issues Department, said the programme aims to share strategic visions and viewpoints of Party, State, and Government leaders regarding current opportunities to approach and optimise scientific and technological accomplishments in key areas, serving both the national short-term and sustainable socio-economic development targets.

The programme will take place from August 18-24 with a variety of activities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Quang Ninh, such as meetings with the startup community and intellectuals in science-technology in Vietnam, exchanges amongst major groups and businesses in sci-tech application, and visits to high-tech parks in Hanoi and HCM City.

About 100 Vietnamese youths who have excelled in various fields – such as information technology, biotechnology, automatics, robotics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cyber security, and Internet of Things – are expected to attend the event.–VNA