Singapore (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam met with overseas Vietnamese intellectuals in Singapore on March 11 to discuss and listen to petitions and suggestions for development policies, as part of their official visit to the city-state.

With extensive expertise and experiences in working in Singapore which is a leading science, technology and economic centre in the region and the world and a model that Vietnam can learn from, overseas Vietnamese intellectuals made many practical and effective suggestions for Vietnam to take full advantage of technological potential in key areas that play a core role in the country's breakthrough development such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and investment.

They also proposed a number of policies to promote the application of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation in the State's national governance and the design, construction, and production of technological products of businesses.

Speaking at the meeting, General Secretary To Lam highly appreciated the enthusiastic contributions of overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals, saying that these proposals will help Vietnam access advanced scientific achievements, improve competitiveness, and step up sustainable economic development.

The Party leader said that one of the main activities during this visit, in addition to strengthening the effective and substantive cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore, is to meet with intellectuals, representatives of experts, researchers, scientists, prestigious scholars, outstanding children of the country and the Vietnamese community in Singapore, to exchange, discuss and contribute ideas to Vietnam's future development path.

Sincerely thanking the dedicated and responsible contributions of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to the home country's development in recent times, he said that as Vietnam is transitioning into a new era, the Party, State and people need to join hands to help the nation reach its development goals by 2045, becoming a developed country with high income and people with prosperous and happy lives.

Lam told the participants that the Party and State attach great importance to the role of science, technology, innovation and intellectual forces. Recently, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 57 on developing science, technology and innovation until 2030, with a vision to 2045. The resolution clearly affirms the importance of breakthroughs in the field of science and technology, considering this a key task and a decisive factor to enhance the competitiveness of the economy, improve the quality of people's lives and ensure national security and sovereignty.

Agreeing with the practical and effective suggestions that the overseas Vietnamese intellectuals have just shared, the Party chief proposed continuing to research a major focus on serving the development of science, technology, and innovation; perfecting institutions and policies, removing bottlenecks and barriers to shift the status from institutions for management to institutions for competition in the development of science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, especially in the fields of investment, intellectual property, and scientific research.

He emphasised that to achieve the goal of Vietnam mastering digital technology and the digital transformation process through specific measures, state agencies will continue to promote the application of science, technology, and innovation to improve the effectiveness of national governance; and at the same time, continue to encourage domestic businesses to design, create, construct and produce digital technology products with high added value.

Lam asked overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to actively cooperate and provide information for the home country, helping to build the Vietnam Innovation Network and get access to advanced technologies and effective development models of Singapore and other developed countries.

The General Secretary also requested relevant ministries and sectors to research and consider concretising the above recommendations to realise breakthroughs in scientific and technological develo♏pment to serve the country’s socio-economic development./.