Immediately after Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation was issued, Da Nang has implemented many important contents related to specific and outstanding mechanisms and policies to create conditions to maximize advantages for local socio-economic development.

Representatives of organisations and enterprises interested in science and technology mechanisms and policies according to the content of Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly at the conference to disseminate instructions for implementing specific policies on S&T and innovation, December 21, 2024. Photo: DIEP NHU

Ready to pilot new policies and solutions

According to the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology, since 2021, Da Nang has implemented over 100 science and technology (S&T) tasks at all levels with a total investment of VND140 billion. Specifically, the budget from the city’s S&T career source is VND107 billion, the budget from the national S&T career source is VND 11 billion and the budget from other sources is VND22 billion.

Also in the 2021 - 2024 period, the city has issued 59 documents, mechanisms, and policies on science, technology and innovation development; policies to support enterprises in technological innovation, innovative startups and boost the development of intellectual property, promote initiatives, creative labour and activities in the field of quality measurement standards to improve productivity and product quality.

In recent years, the city has constantly made efforts and pioneered in building mechanisms and policies to develop an innovative startup ecosystem, with the formation and development of support organisations, incubators, venture capital funds, angel investors and the innovative startup business community.

In particular, the city has proposed specific and outstanding policy mechanisms in the fields of science, technology and innovation as stipulated in Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly on the organisation of urban government and piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the Da Nang development focusing on 4 groups: policies on exemption of personal income tax, exemption of corporate income tax for innovative startups, transfer of shares, capital contributions to innovative startups; policies to support the development of innovative startups; policies on controlled testing of new technology solutions; policies on investment, management, exploitation and handling of S&T infrastructure assets serving innovative startups.

The above-mentioned policies were issued by the Da Nang People’s Council as specific resolutions for implementation and effective from January 1, 2025, initially expected to remove obstacles in supporting innovative startups.

According to the assessment of the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology, these are breakthrough policies to create favourable conditions for individuals, innovative startups, and research and development organisations to access necessary resources and support mechanisms.

At the same time, they open up great opportunities for Da Nang in its socio-economic development journey, especially in attracting investment thanks to the application of many unique and outstanding mechanisms and policies that have no precedent in Viet Nam.

In fact, Da Nang has favourable framework conditions for the development of the national innovation system that have been formed through policies on intellectual property rights, innovation in science and technology activities, the simplification of administrative procedures, and the development of support funds; policies on encouraging enterprises to invest in research and development, science and technology organizations to implement autonomous mechanisms, develop S&T markets, S&T enterprises.

Ms. Le Thi Thuc, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology, said that the new mechanisms and policies will be a strong breakthrough, truly liberating, promoting creativity and investment resources of society to bring scientific achievements and technological solutions into life, as a driving force for the socio-economic development.

The city’s leaders always pay attention to directing relevant departments and sectors to build, perfect and effectively implement mechanisms and policies for developing innovation and creative startups, thereby promoting the increasingly developing innovation and creative startup ecosystem, and the city is ready to pilot new policies and new solutions on S&T, innovation, as a basis for assessment and completion before deploying nationwide.

Action programme with higher goals

In the spirit of strong direction from the national and the municipal governments, the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology has advised the Da Nang Party Committee and the Da Nang People's Committee to develop Action Programme No. 43-CTr/TU dated February 14, 2024 on implementing Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW with goals and targets higher than the requirements of the resolution. These contents are formed based on the reality of the city, especially the fact that Da Nang has made great strides in developing S&T, digital transformation and innovative startups.

According to Ms. Le Thi Thuc, to achieve higher goals than Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, Da Nang must resolutely implement tasks and proactive, synchronous, and effective solutions according to the action programme. The city’s action program also emphasises policies to encourage businesses to invest in S&T, with priority given to areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, biotechnology and automation.

“We will focus on the core points as mentioned, remove current obstacles and barriers in terms of institutions and budget mechanisms, especially in building technical infrastructure; promote the development of mechanisms and policies; strengthen human resources for S&T and innovation. One of the important tasks is to develop mechanisms and policies to attract scientists, experts and talented people to Da Nang to carry out tasks in S&T and develop the city’s socio-economy. This mechanism and policy is currently being implemented by the Da Nang Department of Home Affairs,” said Ms. Thuc.

With regard to tasks and solutions, the Da Nang Party Committee has requested the Da Nang People’s Committee to direct relevant agencies, departments and branches to urgently research, review, issue or propose competent authorities to issue the city’s policies and mechanisms in the fields of S&T, innovation and digital transformation, with a focus on promptly concretising and implementing legal regulations as soon as the Vietnamese Government completes the institution in the spirit of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, continue to propose to the National Assembly and the Vietnamese Government mechanisms, policies and solutions to remove bottlenecks and barriers, free up domestic resources and have preferential mechanisms to attract resources from abroad such as investment, knowledge transfer, preferential work permits, visas for foreign experts to work in Da Nang.

One of the requirements of the task is to prioritise funding and effectively implement current mechanisms and policies on science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, especially mechanisms and policies to implement Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15, the project ‘Da Nang - City of innovation’, programmes and policies to support the development of semiconductor chips and AI, support enterprises in technological innovation, innovative startups, intellectual property development, review and supplement policies to encourage innovation in enterprises; build mechanisms and policies to support Da Nang startups to access domestic and foreign markets.

Mr. Ly Dinh Quan, the Vice Chairman of the National Innovation Startup Advisory Council, General Director of the Song Han Startup Incubation Centre, said that Da Nang is very determined and has taken strong steps to implement Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo. This is a journey of continuous efforts made by local authorities, departments, sectors and those working in S&T and innovation.

“Da Nang has had a journey of building to promote awareness, innovation and gradually form infrastructure and support organisations. The city is starting to implement a series of policies, I think this is a new revolution, a new wave, a new vitality for Da Nang. We take advantage of time and energy, save maximum opportunities to break through, so testing new programmes and policies will open up opportunities to create conditions for people, businesses, scientists, and startup talents to catch up with policy mechanisms for further development”, Mr. Quan emphasized.

Reporting by DIEP NHU - Translating by A.THU