Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was speaking at a conference in Hanoi on Wednesday discussing science, technology and innovation as a pillar for Vietnam's socio-economic development. He directed the ministry to propose policies to encourage and stimulate innovation for businesses, saying they have to be put at the center of the process.

The role of universities and research institutes should be promoted in strengthening human resource developments for innovation. Research should be attached to business needs and the needs of the economy, he said.

The PM also wanted the ministry to foster connections between innovation networks in the country and abroad. Intellectual connection centers play a key role in developing smart and sustainable cities around the world, and Vietnam should learn from them, he noted.

The ministry should also increase its governance capacity for innovation and strengthen institutions for this purpose, he said.

The fifth direction the ministry should follow is to focus on developing new technologies to form new industries and products that create high added-value products, especially in areas that Vietnam has advantages in, like agriculture, processing, manufacturing and information technology, the PM said.

He said the country should identify science, technology and innovation as the foundation for promoting rapid and sustainable development.

The PM also expressed his hope that every ministry, sector, locality, organization and enterprise would join hands to promote innovation and effectively use science and technology to achieve sustainable development breakthroughs.

He added Vietnam also desires continued cooperation and support from the World Bank, other countries and international organizations in developing its innovation ecosystem.