Vietnam must reform its institutional framework to transform it into a competitive advantage by crafting more advanced regulations that surpass those of many other countries. Without unified thinking among ministries and sectors, the overall institutional system will continue to lag behind.

The draft political report of the 13th Party Central Committee, prepared for the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, outlines a strategic shift toward a new growth model. It aims to restructure the economy and promote industrialization and modernization, with science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as primary drivers.

Specifically, the draft states: The new growth model will focus on enhancing productivity, quality, efficiency, value-added, and economic competitiveness. It will leverage science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation to generate high-quality production capacities and methods, emphasizing the data economy and digital economy. It promotes digital transformation, green transition, energy transition, and restructuring and upgrading the quality of human resources. New growth drivers will be identified, with science and technology at the core to renew traditional growth drivers.

Six national strategic technology products

That was the insight shared by Dr. Luong Viet Quoc, CEO of Real-time Robotics (RtR). On October 7, he received an invitation to join the “Expert Advisory Group for Developing Priority Strategic Technology Products for Implementation in 2025,” organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Two days later, on October 9, Permanent Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan signed the decision to officially establish the expert group.

By October 10, the group held its first meeting. Shortly afterward, the draft decision titled “Approval of the National Program for Science, Technology, and Innovation to Develop Priority Strategic Technology Products for Implementation in 2025,” incorporating expert opinions, was published on the National Science and Technology Initiative Portal.

According to the draft, six strategic technology products have been selected for immediate development in 2025. These are: a Vietnamese large language model and virtual assistant; edge-processing AI cameras; autonomous mobile robots; 5G mobile network systems and devices; blockchain infrastructure and application layers for traceability and asset tokenization; and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In the UAV sector specifically, the draft sets ambitious goals: by 2027, Vietnam should secure at least 20 UAV-related patents and develop no fewer than 10 product lines based on mastered technologies for export to G7 markets. The country aims to lead Southeast Asia in UAV invention, innovation, and production.

By 2030, the plan is for Vietnam to have at least three UAV companies with global competitiveness, including at least one tech enterprise with a valuation over USD 1 billion capable of exporting UAV products, services, and technologies to G7 markets.

“The speed of execution has been impressive. It reflects the urgency and determination of the Steering Committee implementing Resolution 57. Goals are now being clearly quantified,” Dr. Quoc told VietNamNet.

Businesses need a sandbox mechanism

However, the RtR CEO expressed concern about policy implementation.

In the UAV field, trial flight licensing remains challenging. In addition, businesses struggle to import essential components.

For example, UAV manufacturers need to import a component known as a “data link,” which facilitates communication between UAVs and ground stations. But Vietnam only allows data links operating at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz, while international markets support various frequencies.

“Even when importing for research or fulfilling contracts with foreign partners, Vietnamese businesses are still restricted to those two frequencies,” Dr. Quoc explained.

He noted that the expert group's draft recommendations to the Ministry of Science and Technology include a sandbox mechanism - controlled experimentation environments - to support the development of strategic tech products.

“For Vietnam’s strategic industries to catch up or even surpass the world, management frameworks must be at least as favorable as those of other countries. If not, we’ll continue falling behind,” he emphasized.

Regarding UAV flight permits, he cited China’s policy model, which achieves two objectives: ensuring national security and enabling the UAV sector to flourish. China is now a global leader in civilian UAVs.

Therefore, according to Dr. Quoc, Vietnam can adapt such policies. The key is transforming institutional frameworks into competitive advantages by designing progressive regulations that surpass global norms.

“If ministries and sectors continue defending siloed viewpoints, the broader institutional system will always lag behind. In that case, there's no way for science, technology, and innovation to keep pace globally. Resolutions and legal documents are made of words - but changing the mindset behind those words is what really matters,” he said.

Ecosystem capacity is essential

From a research perspective, Dr. Dang Pham Thien Duy, Deputy Head of Research and Innovation at the School of Business and Management, RMIT University Vietnam, argued that the strength of innovation does not lie solely in capital or technology, but in the capacity of the entire ecosystem - something proven by global experience.

Singapore is a prime example of how the state can create an enabling environment, businesses can lead markets, and universities can supply knowledge. Two notable initiatives include Block71 and LaunchPad @ One-north, co-developed by NUS Enterprise (the startup support unit of the National University of Singapore), Singtel Innov8 (a venture capital fund), and JTC (the enterprise development agency).

Singapore’s government actively creates demand for domestic startups through technology procurement, helping to validate and commercialize innovations quickly.

South Korea offers another model of national adaptive capacity through a comprehensive strategy. In July 2020, it launched the Digital New Deal program, part of the broader Korean New Deal, with an investment package worth KRW 160 trillion (about USD 112 billion), of which KRW 58 trillion (around USD 40.6 billion) was allocated to data, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence.

The government aims to create nearly two million new jobs by 2025 and distribute at least half of the investment outside Seoul. As a result, universities, businesses, and local governments are integrated into a cohesive innovation chain, enabling South Korea to maintain global tech competitiveness while decentralizing innovation to regional levels, the RMIT scholar noted.

Tran Chung