The strategic vision for Vietnam’s socio-economic development in the new era relies heavily on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. As the country navigates the complexities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, policymakers and government officials are championing a radical shift in how technological advancements are deployed, regulated, and integrated into the national economy. Central to this agenda is Resolution 57, a landmark directive issued by the Politburo designed to break institutional bottlenecks, foster competitive technological ecosystems, and empower local enterprises to become global players.
In a comprehensive dialogue detailing the implementation of Resolution 57, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung outlined the core philosophies, systemic changes, and forward-looking strategies required to transition Vietnam from a technology consumer to a global technology creator. The dialogue sheds light on critical pillars such as institutional reform, strategic infrastructure development, talent acquisition, and the empowerment of both state-owned and private enterprises.
Institutional Reform as a Competitive Edge
A foundational premise of Resolution 57 is that institutional frameworks represent the "bottleneck of bottlenecks." Consequently, systemic acceleration must begin with legislative updates designed to foster innovation without imposing excessive regulatory burdens.
The Ministry of Information and Communications has mandated that the legal framework for emerging technologies be finalized throughout 2025. This modernization effort involves transitioning from passive oversight to proactive institutional design. By legalizing and establishing safe legal environments for novel technologies—such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and semiconductor manufacturing—the government aims to protect innovators from undue regulatory risks.
Furthermore, policymakers are adopting the view that progressive institutions function as a core competitive advantage. Many nations possess cutting-edge technologies but restrict their deployment due to rigid regulatory environments. By implementing controlled experimentation environments, commonly known as regulatory sandboxes, Vietnam aims to attract global innovation capital, high-tech resources, and advanced research initiatives. This sandbox approach allows untested business models and technologies to operate within defined geographical and temporal boundaries, ensuring proper oversight while encouraging rapid technological iteration.
Developing Strategic Infrastructure for the Digital Era
Infrastructure development under Resolution 57 expands far beyond traditional physical assets like transportation and energy grids. While physical connectivity remains vital, the national strategy now prioritizes digital infrastructure, science and technology infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems.
The mandate requires digital infrastructure to develop at a pace significantly faster than overall economic growth. Achieving this requires mobilizing large corporations and state-owned enterprises that have benefited from decades of state support. These major economic entities are now expected to take leading investment roles in strategic national infrastructure projects, bridging the gap between domestic capabilities and global technological standards.
Data has officially been recognized as a new factor of production and a vital resource generated through human activity. Consequently, regulatory frameworks must adapt to manage and equitably distribute the economic value derived from data assets, ensuring that digital resources contribute directly to sustainable national growth.
Transforming the Approach to Scientific Research and Risk Tolerance
Scientific research and technological development inherently involve uncertainty. Historically, bureaucratic evaluation models penalized failed projects, leading to risk aversion among researchers and institutional leaders. Resolution 57 introduces a significant paradigm shift by normalizing calculated risks within scientific research.
Under the updated framework, administrative evaluation will shift from project-by-project scrutiny to holistic performance assessments. Utilizing a venture capital-inspired portfolio model, the state acknowledges that while some research projects may fail, the cumulative economic and social yield of successful innovations will far outweigh initial losses. This pragmatic approach ensures that research funding is directed toward high-impact national priorities rather than being excessively fragmented across minor initiatives.
Financial backing for science, technology, and innovation is also seeing structural modernization. While state budget allocations remain critical—including the directive to allocate at least three percent of total annual budget expenditures to national science and technology development—the strategy relies heavily on private sector participation. Approximately 80 percent of investments in digital and technological infrastructure are expected to originate from private enterprises, leveraging public funds primarily as catalytic "seed capital" to attract broader societal engagement.
Empowering the Enterprise Ecosystem: The Make in Vietnam Initiative
A cornerstone of Vietnam’s technological strategy is the "Make in Vietnam" initiative, which champions self-reliance, local design, and sovereign technological capabilities. The initiative rejects passive adoption in favor of domestic creation, covering the entire lifecycle from conception and design to manufacturing and commercialization.
The state’s strategy divides the enterprise ecosystem into specialized tiers to maximize efficiency across the economy:
- Large Technology Enterprises: Both private and state-owned giants—such as Viettel, VNPT, FPT, CMC, MISA, One Mount, and HDBank—have committed to mastering core technologies including 5G/6G networks, semiconductor chips, generative artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. These corporations are tasked with developing foundational platforms and national digital infrastructure.
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): Comprising the vast majority of commercial entities, SMEs are positioned as application developers and digital transformation implementers. Rather than investing heavily in foundational research, SMEs can access advanced technological services and platforms provided by major enterprises at affordable commercial rates.
- Micro-Enterprises and Agricultural Cooperatives: Expanding digital inclusion initiatives ensures that millions of household businesses, farmers, and cooperatives receive state-supported access to digital tools, optimizing productivity and broadening market reach.
By fostering a collaborative ecosystem where large corporations build foundational platforms and smaller enterprises deploy specialized applications, Vietnam is creating a cohesive digital economy capable of widespread adoption.
The Broader Socio-Economic Implications
The implementation of Resolution 57 carries profound implications for Vietnam’s macroeconomic trajectory. Over the past five years, the domestic value-added share in the digital technology industry has risen from 21% to 32%, with national targets aiming to exceed 50% by 2030. Achieving this milestone is viewed as essential for escaping the middle-income trap and avoiding reliance on low-value manufacturing and assembly.
Concurrently, the number of digital technology enterprises in Vietnam has expanded significantly, positioning the country among the leading developing nations in terms of digital enterprise density per capita. Beyond economic metrics, the mastery of advanced technologies strengthens national security and defense industries, ensuring long-term national sovereignty and sustainable peace.
Through coordinated institutional reform, strategic infrastructure investments, calculated risk tolerance in research, and the empowerment of domestic enterprises through the Make in Vietnam framework, the nation is systematically laying the groundwork for sustained, innovation-driven growth in the contemporary global economy.
