New law to boot up high-tech industry

The Hanoi Times - The Government has endorsed a new Hi-Tech Law to govern the activities of organisations, individuals, overseas Vietnamese and foreign organisations and individuals, who operate in Viet Nam's hi-tech sector.

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) held a conference yesterday in Ha Noi to raise awareness of the new law's implementation, which was attended by provincial and city law makers and representatives from around the country.

Deputy minister of Science and Technology Le Dinh Tien said the law was ratified by the National Assembly o­n November 13, 2008, and would be valid beginning July 1.

The law contains nine chapters and 35 articles that regulate hi-tech activities, policies and measures to encourage and boost the hi-tech industry.

All offices, organisations and individuals active in the hi-tech industry in Viet Nam are subject to the provisions of the law.

Tien said the law is intended to set the foundation for governing hi-tech studies, development and application.

Tien said the law would institutionalise the Party's policies in a timely manner in order to create a complete legal basis for bringing into play achievements, and overcome shortcomings, in hi-tech applications, studies and development.

In particular, the Party and State consider boosting application and development of hi-technologies as a vital break-through for raising productivity and quality in the commodities and services sectors, which would help to assure enterprise competitiveness, benefit all economic and technological sectors and promote the entire national economy, he said.

The law would also strengthen the country's scientific and technological potential in order to boost industrialisation and modernisation, and international economic integration.

At the conference, Dr Doan Nang, head of the ministry's Legisnation Department, said the State would mobilise investment sources to develop science and technologies to enhance socio-economic development, national defence, security, environmental protection and better living standards of the people.

The State would use budget funding to implement some hi-tech tasks, programmes and projects and for importing technologies particularly relevant to the advancement of socio-economic development, national defence and security.

He said the Government would focus investment o­n developing hi-technologies in the following areas: information technology; bio-technology; new material technology; and automation technology.

Nang said the law would allow expansion of international co-operation in the sector, especially with global entities with advanced scientific and technological competence and that are suitable with Vietnamese laws and international treaties.

Provisions had also been included to attract foreign organisations and individuals, and overseas Vietnamese to implement hi-tech activities in Viet Nam, he said.

The law would also boost international co-operation in developing hi-tech human resources, giving priority to train hi-tech students at advanced universities, colleges, and vocational schools in the region and the world.

Implementation of a long-term plan o­n international integration in science and technology, boosting activities to seek and apply advanced technologies for Viet Nam to increase its domestic research capability, and training organisations and enterprises are also part of the new law.