Hanoi (VNA) – Experts andscientists were invited to contribute their opinions to draft documents of theupcoming 13th National Party Congress at a meeting chaired by DeputyPrime Minister Vu Duc Dam on January 7.

The documents put up fordiscussion were the draft report reviewing the implementation of the 10-yeardevelopment strategy for 2011-2020, the draft 10-year socio-economic developmentstrategy for 2021-2030, the draft report assessing socio-economic developmentduring 2016-2020 and outlining directions for 2021-2025.

Prof. Dang Nguyen Anh, VicePresident of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS), noted the lack ofawareness about the importance of social issues, saying that many localitiesonly laid emphasis on economic development without paying due attention to impactson the environment and society. Many social problems are only noticed afterthey already happened and even then they are not addressed in a thoroughmanner.

“Many countries’ experience showeconomic development alone cannot solve social issues. Economic gains will notbe sustainable if social issues are not properly settled,” the professor said.

Associate Professor Luong DinhHai, director of the Institute of Human Studies under the VASS, voiced concernthat society is facing the degradation of morality, drastic changes in valuesand the loss of trust.

“We should change our way ofthinking, paying more attention to developing the physical fitness, way ofthinking and aesthetic sense of the Vietnamese people,” Hai said.

Vice President of the Vietnam Academyof Science and Technology Prof. Nguyen Dinh Cong said science and technologyhave not received due attention in accordance with the viewpoint that “scienceand technology is the top national policy.”

He saidthe management of budget for science and technology still follows administrativeprinciples and refuses to accept any risks in research. The country also lackseconomic incentives in the form of tax or land to encourage enterprises toinvest in science and technology.

Theprofessor said he hopes those limitations will be addressed in documents to be submittedto the 13th National Party Congress.

Directorof the Vietnam Institute of Science Technology andInnovation (Ministry of Science and Technology) Hoang Minh proposed that thedevelopment strategy for 2021-2030 should define the sciences that Vietnam shoulddevelop in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, along with key products of thecountry.

Deputy PM Dam, who is standingmember of the sub-committee on economic-social matters of the National PartyCongress, affirmed that the sub-committee will carefully study the opinions inorder to further refine the draft documents./.