Luu Quang Minh, deputy director of the Department of Science, Technology and Engineering, speaking at the Ministry of Science and Technology’s regular monthly press briefing on June 1, outlined Vietnam's strategic technological direction.

He said research infrastructure, data, laboratories, testing centers, technical standards, skilled human resources, and market-leading enterprises are all foundational conditions that allow research outcomes to become products and reach the market.

This would also enable Vietnamese businesses to deepen their participation in regional and global value chains, he pointed out.

Luu Quang Minh, deputy director of the Department of Science, Technology and Engineering, speaks at a Ministry of Science and Technology press briefing on June 1. Photo by Trong Dat

Discussing the list of strategic technologies and products unveiled by the government through Decision 21, he said the key difference is that instead of simply following global technology trends, technology selection now originates in the country's national and economic challenges.

This is intended to avoid choosing technologies based on trends or spreading investment too thin to end up without products or meaningful technological capabilities, he explained.

Vietnam's priority technologies include AI, big data, cloud computing, semiconductors and specialized chips, next-generation telecommunications networks, automation and robotics, digital twins, cybersecurity, new energy and materials, and advanced biomedical, aerospace, rail, and other foundational technologies, he listed.

"These are all fields capable of generating new industries while also helping reduce dependence on imported technology."

Semiconductor chips and electronic components developed by Vietnamese companies and universities are displayed at the SEMIEXPO Vietnam 2025 semiconductor exhibition in November 2025. Photo by Luu Quy.

He cautioned however that having a list but without specific tasks, implementing actors, resources, and output evaluation mechanisms makes it very difficult to translate policy into real technological capability.

Minh said the key innovation is the requirement to develop strategic technologies in a chain by starting from a major challenge, identifying the strategic technology product, breaking down the core technologies that need to be mastered, selecting implementing actors, and determining market outputs and end users.

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, this approach is designed to address the longstanding disconnect between scientific research and real-world needs, while creating conditions for enterprises, research institutes, universities, and regulatory bodies to participate in a unified manner.

If implemented effectively, Vietnam will build indigenous technological capabilities, increase the rate of indigenous content, reduce import dependence, and drive new knowledge-based industries grounded in data, core technologies, and innovation.