South-east earmarks hi-tech growth

The south-eastern region, the country's economic hub, is focusing on development and use of technology as an aid to economic growth, officials have said.

Ho Ngoc Luat, Chair of the Ministry of Science and Technology's Local Science and Technology Committee, said governments in the region were investing intensively in infrastructure for scientific development and drafting long-term strategies for research organisations.

However, they faced difficulties in terms of human-resource availability, particularly businesses in research.

Scientific research products of some companies had not yet been recognised, which was a prerequisite to set up a sci-tech business, he said, adding that lack of capital was also hindering the solid development of sci-tech firms.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan said the region has applied and provided scores of new technologies and focused on building brand names and securing intellectual property.

It would assign priority to developing high technology and those critical to development like information technology, bio-technology, new materials, and engineering and automation.

The region hopes to increase the ratio of hi-tech application in industry to 30 per cent by 2015 and 40 per cent by 2020 and bolster the technology market to ensure technology-related trading grows at 15 per cent annually.

Figures from the ministry's Local Science and Technology Committee show that the region has so far appraised and clinched more than 30 technology transfer deals with local companies, many of which have proved effective in improving the productivity and quality of goods produced.

Quan said relevant sectors and agencies should further increase sales of technology and invest more in science and technology.

The region, comprising eight provinces – Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Lam Dong, and Binh Thuan – and HCM City, contributes more than two-thirds to the national budget, and leads the country in terms of exports, foreign investments, and other economic solutions.

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