Science and innovation at the heart of Viet Nam's growth strategy

Gaining momentum nationwide

Issued by the Politburo on December 22, 2024, Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation was warmly received by Party members and the public, quickly becoming a central task across the entire political system.

At the central level, ministries, agencies and organisations have taken the lead in undertaking difficult and strategic tasks. As of June 29, 2026, the Central Steering Committee for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation had assigned 1,937 tasks. Relevant agencies had completed 84.8% of those with deadlines and resolved 1,009 out of 1,071 reports, proposals, initiatives and recommendations, equivalent to 94.2%.

At the local level, Party committees and grassroots authorities have actively promoted the implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, bringing its objectives to every household and citizen.

Every Saturday or Sunday morning, it has become routine for the digital transformation task force of Thieu Trung Commune in Thanh Hoa Province to visit village cultural houses—or, when necessary, residents' homes—to help people access online public services, digitise documents and complete administrative procedures through digital platforms. The task force also directly receives applications falling under the authority of the commune People's Committee.

Do The Bang, Secretary of the Thieu Trung Commune Party Committee, said that thanks to the strong leadership of the commune Party Committee and People's Committee, local residents had become largely proficient in completing administrative procedures through digital platforms.

In the border villages of Lai Chau Province, a programme run by Border Guard officers to help residents sell products through e-commerce platforms has enabled local people to establish online shops and promote their distinctive local products.

In the northern mountainous border province of Cao Bang, the provincial Party Committee has directed relevant agencies to coordinate plans for extending the national power grid to villages that remain without electricity, creating conditions for telecommunications companies to expand mobile network coverage.

Since July 2025, mobile signals have been extended to 124 previously uncovered locations. As a result, more than 97% of administrative applications submitted through the National Public Service Portal have been processed on or ahead of schedule, while online payments account for more than 58% of all transactions.

Grassroots communication and implementation efforts have also encouraged people to explore and apply science and technology in their daily lives and business activities.

Tong Thi Hien, Director of Hien Nhuan Production and Trading Co., Ltd. in Dong Tien Ward, Thanh Hoa Province, said her company had developed an organic, circular agricultural production chain. To achieve this, science and technology had been applied throughout every stage of cultivation and livestock farming.

Unlocking resources

According to the Central Steering Committee for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation, implementation outcomes have yet to match expectations and have not generated enough tangible products to make a substantial contribution to economic growth or national governance.

A number of obstacles remain. Many tasks have progressed no further than policy documents, plans or proposals. Although the use of online public services is relatively high in many localities, numerous administrative processes have yet to be comprehensively restructured. Several initiatives involving collaboration among government, businesses and research institutions, technology exchanges, smart cities and high-tech parks remain largely symbolic.

Progress in building national databases has also fallen short of the requirements of the new stage of development. In addition, the quality of online public services continues to pose difficulties for both citizens and businesses.

Speaking at the national conference reviewing 18 months of implementing Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, General Secretary and State President stressed the need to fully recognise science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as the principal drivers of the country's new development and growth model. He emphasised the need to shift decisively from building mechanisms to creating products; from merely completing assigned tasks to generating tangible value; and from preparing conditions to making direct contributions to national development.

Dr Nguyen Thi Binh, former lecturer at the University of Mining and Geology, said that every public official and every citizen should regard themselves as a frontline contributor to science, technology and innovation.

Noting that the capabilities of many public officials, citizens and businesses have yet to keep pace with the demands of administrative reform and digital transformation, Trinh Le Thuy, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Yen Dinh Commune Party Committee in Thanh Hoa Province, proposed increasing the number of science, technology and digital transformation specialists working in grassroots administrations, while further upgrading the quality of digital infrastructure.

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