As of August 20, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) has received 85 strategic technology proposals from 15 localities, focusing primarily on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, blockchain, cell technology, personalized medicine, gene technology, and biotechnology.

Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan reported these figures during a meeting on August 26 regarding the progress of strategic technology development missions, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung, head of the Task Force for Science, Technology, Innovation, and Strategic Technology.

Minister Quan emphasized that because strategic technology missions are large-scale and highly specialized with high requirements for practical application, their implementation requires a new approach centered on the final product and resource efficiency. He highlighted that financial resources, procedures, and legal frameworks are now largely secured, making proactive and decisive execution the primary focus.

According to a report by the MoST, a review and standardization of records identified 28 strategic technology proposals from eight out of ten ministries and agencies, with an estimated total budget of approximately VND5.3 trillion ($203 million).

By August 24, the ministry had appraised 27 of these 28 proposals. Among them, 9 missions from the ministries of Health, Construction, Industry and Trade, and Science and Technology have completed appraisal and are deemed eligible for approval. The appraisal council has provided feedback on another 13 missions, while five are not yet eligible for approval, and the remaining task is scheduled for appraisal by August 28 at the latest.

These proposals aim to address 11 out of 20 major challenges identified in the Prime Minister's Decision No. 808/QD-TTg dated May 6, 2024.

Speaking at the meeting, the Deputy PM urged ministries to urgently review and approve the nine eligible missions before August 28. For the 13 tasks already reviewed by the council, the MoST must finish appraisal reports by August 28, striving for full approval by September 5 to begin the implementation phase as soon as possible.

Regarding the 85 proposals submitted by the 15 localities, the MoST will synthesize and categorize them to prevent overlap and resource fragmentation. This process will also identify shared technologies and central models that can be developed and subsequently replicated at the local level.

Deputy PM Dung requested that ministries and agencies immediately implement their assigned tasks and continue expanding strategic technology missions for the coming years, with the goal of producing specific, tangible products by the end of 2026.