Hanoi (VNA) - Over the years, Hanoi has recordedencouraging outcomes after years of implementing many programmes, plans,mechanisms and policies for supporting industry development, as heard at a conferenceheld in the capital city on August 24.

The event, organised by the municipal Department of Industryand Trade, focused on Hanoi’s supporting industries, gathering a large numberof managers, policy makers, scientists, and businesses.

According to a representative from the department, enterprisesin the local sector has seen a continuous increase in their quantity, scale andquality. Most of them operate to produce components and spare part; productsserving garment-textile and footwear manufacturing; and those serving thehigh-tech industry. A significant number of firms boasts production systems andproducts meeting international standards, which makes them capable of joiningthe global supply chains of multinational conglomerates.

However, because the capital’s supporting industries in Hanoi and Vietnam wereformed and developed later than that of other nations in the region, theirgrowth process requires right orientations, mechanisms, policies and solutionsthat are strong enough to keep pace with other countries regionally andglobally.

At the workshop, the delegates focused on discussing threemain topics of localisation needs and the adaptation of domestic enterprises;digital transformation in production; and innovation trends given participationin the global supply chain.

From the discussion, the city’s related potential and demandfor growth were presented, with solutions to its shortcomings and policies forits supporting industry development proposed.

Speaking at the workshop, Tran Thi Phuong Lan, ActingDirector of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said that in thenation’s industry development, supporting industries play an important role, asthe supply of materials, spare parts, semi-finished takes place domestically toensure the initiative for the industry, and avoid being heavily dependent onforeign countries and fluctuations of the global economy.

The growth of the sector contributes to well exploitingresources, reducing imports; limiting the export of resources and raw processedproducts; increasing value added of industrial products; expanding the abilityto attract foreign direct investment; and developing a system of small andmedium enterprises, she added.

Dr. Pham Xuan Khanh from the Hanoi Vocational College ofHigh Technology, said currently, the competitiveness of Vietnamese youth whenparticipating in the regional and international labour market is still limited.Vietnam's trained human resources are mainly located in the processing andassembly stage of the production and business chain, while the number of highlyqualified employees remains modest, he added.

In order to train the workforce to meet the demand of thelabour market in the new situation, Khanh recommended that Vietnam need tostandardise and develop the quality of teachers and administrators; renewtraining according to the smart school model; improve the input quality ofadmissions; and strengthen the connection between training and businesses.

The country's supporting industry, which remainedunderdeveloped and overly reliant on imports, has been identified as a majorweakness for Vietnam, especially in key industries such as electronics,textile, leather and footwear, manufacturing and automobile.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has set a targetthat the supporting industry's capacity will meet 70% of domestic demand by2030.

The target is part of a draft project on restructuring theindustry and trade sector for 2021-2030.

The draft also aims to turn Vietnam into an industrialisedcountry with highly competitive industries, and among the world's top 15exporters by the end of 2030.

The country's immediate target is to develop 20 productswith strong international brands, to strengthen its position in the globalsupply chain, and to bring the localisation of production to 45%./.