Mastering core technology

Question: What is core technology?

Answer: Core technology refers to fundamental and pivotal technologies considered the backbone of a particular industry or technological field. Once a nation or organisation masters these technologies, it gains the ability to control and develop high-end and complex products and services. They serve as the foundation for the development of other applied technologies.

For example, microchip and semiconductor technologies underpin many modern technology industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, and smart cars. Biotechnology forms the basis of many essential industries in healthcare, agriculture, environmental protection, and food industry.

New material technologies, including advanced alloys and composites, enable the development of superior products. Energy technologies, including renewable energy, nuclear power, and energy storage, support the green transformation of the economy. Information and communication technologies encompass networking, cybersecurity, AI, and big data.

Question: What role does core technology play? Why does mastering the core technology enhance and safeguard national security?

Answer: Core technology is vital in boosting economic development and improving competitiveness.

By mastering core technology, countries can take the initiative in manufacturing, reducing their reliance on foreign technologies, and generating high levels of added value in strategic sectors such as electronics, aerospace, healthcare, and energy. Core technology serves as a driving force behind digital transformation and digital economic development. They lay the groundwork for the advancement of science, technology, and innovation, support the development of high-quality human resources, and foster an innovation ecosystem, and promote stronger linkages between scientific research and practical application.

Core technology also plays a special role in social welfare and improving quality of life, enhancing access to advanced technologies for both citizens and businesses.

In terms of national security and technological sovereignty, mastering core technology enables control over military, cybersecurity, and defence-related technologies. A country that commands its core technologies can minimise its vulnerability to sanctions or technological embargoes from abroad. It can better protect its data and important national information from external threats.

“In the digital era, technology is not merely a tool for development, but a pillar of national security. Dependence on foreign technology, especially in strategic areas like defence, data, communications, and healthcare, poses risks of information leakage, supply chain disruptions, and external manipulation,” Dr. To Van Truong, an independent expert in natural resources and the environment and former Director of the Southern Institute of Water Resources Planning, commented.

Major countries such as the US, China, and the Republic of Korea (RoK) are fiercely competing to be dominant in core technologies. Viet Nam has also made notable strides in fields of AI, telecommunications, and semiconductor chips in an effort to reduce its foreign dependence.

Investment in core technologies not only serves development goals but also acts as a measure to protect sovereignty in the digital space and ensure national stability amidst global political and economic fluctuations. That is why a long-term strategy is essential, one that mobilises government, enterprises, and the research community to build an autonomous and sustainable technology ecosystem. Mastering technology today means maintaining independence and the nation's future tomorrow, he added.

The Party and state of Viet Nam have long identified the mastery of some core technologies as a top priority in developing a digital economy and society such as AI and Big Data. These are already being applied in healthcare, agriculture, education, and manufacturing. Microchip and semiconductor technologies are at the heart of the digital era, closely linked to automation and smart electronic products. In the fields of energy and the environment, core technologies are essential in implementing solutions to problems such as electricity, water supply, and waste management.

Many specific policies have been issued to develop core technologies such as Decision No. 1018/QD-TTg on Viet Nam’s semiconductor industry development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050, as approved by the Prime Minister on September 21, 2024.

This strategy sets out clear targets: Phase 1 from 2024 to 2030 will establish the foundations of a semiconductor industry with a workforce of over 50,000 engineers and graduates. Phase 2 from 2030 to 2040 will develop 200 chip design enterprises, two chip fabrication plants, and 15 packaging plants, with an estimated revenue of over 50 billion USD/year and a workforce exceeding 100,000 engineers and graduates. Phase 3, from 2040 to 2050, will position Viet Nam as a leading nation in the semiconductor industry, with over 100 billion USD/year in revenue.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has also launched several national programmes, identifying strategic and priority core technologies of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Cloud Computing, Blockchain, nanotechnology, and 5G/6G mobile technologies.

In terms of international cooperation, Viet Nam is actively working to attract foreign investors in high-tech industries to expand production. Simultaneously, it is collaborating with universities and multinational companies to improve the quality of the human resources, aiming to develop 100,000 digital technology enterprises by 2030.

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