It is customary for national leaders to clearly spell out their vision for the country. General Secretary Tô Lâm’s vision is to catapult Vietnam into upper-middle-income status by 2030 and high-income status by 2050. According to the World Bank, the country “aspires to become a high-income country by 2045 that corresponds to nearly 6 percent growth over the next two decades.”

During end 2024 and early 2025, Tô Lâm announced four strategic Resolutions, collectively referred to as the “four pillars” to boost Vietnam into a new era: (a) Resolution 57 on science, technology, and innovation; (b) Resolution 59 on international integration; (c) Resolution 68 on private sector development; and (d) Resolution 66 on law-making and enforcement overhaul. These provide the strategic framework for Vietnam’s development to 2030, with a vision extending to 2045.

Secretary Tô Lâm also set out concrete action plans and called on the Political Bureau (Politburo) of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, government officials, provincial leaders, and even the people to pursue these in right earnest, emphasising the importance of implementation.

Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 on science, technology, and innovation focuses on Industry 4.0 technologies that have caused widespread disruption across sectors. It is creditable that Party General Secretary Tô Lâm has accorded technological advancement a very high priority. Resolution 57 identifies science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as drivers for “accelerating national modernization, reforming governance methods, and promoting rapid and sustainable socio-economic development,” calling them the “foundation for development and the main driving force for the country’s industrialization.”

Interestingly, Resolution 57 is not limited to civilian technological development; it also extends into the military. Therefore, “the entire Party, people, and military must focus on implementing” it and turn institutions into national competitive advantages that propel Vietnam to new heights.

There is widespread acknowledgement that technological development will be the key to Vietnam’s future. “Political will” has turned into “practical action,” and many provinces and localities have instituted steering committees and task forces to pursue Resolution 57. It merits mention that there are “858 science and technology enterprises, 45 high-tech companies, and more than 73,000 digital technology firms” functioning in the country, encouraging many others to engage in research and development.

At the provincial level, cities have taken upon themselves to ensure that the Resolution 57 goals are met through broader strategies by conceptualizing smart cities, adopting digital governance, and improving residents’ quality of life. Ho Chi Minh City envisions “comprehensive transformation in the operation of digital government, digital economy, and digital society.” The plans also envisage building an international financial center, developing its semiconductor industry, and advancing digital technologies. The city hopes to develop large-scale high-tech zones, software parks, and technology enterprises, contributing nearly 40% of its GRDP by 2030.

Similarly, Da Nang city has identified science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as strategic breakthroughs for the 2021–2025 period. According to Nguyen Van Quang, former Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, “Da Nang has attracted high-quality human resources in IT, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and other fields. Its universities constitute one of the country’s strongest science and technology ecosystems.”

Early last month, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced the 2025 "Make-in-Vietnam" digital technological product awards. This was the sixth iteration of the awards and aims to acknowledge the contributions made by Vietnamese digital technology innovators. Over the last five years, over “1,000 products have been submitted, with 252 winners recognised.”

There is no doubt that Resolution 57 has had a positive impact across a wide section of people such as “scientists, educators, and those involved in science, technology, and innovation.” In essence, Resolution 57 is not just a policy document; it has triggered a new desire among the people to understand digital disruption and assimilate new technologies in daily life.

While Resolution 57 is laudable and speaks volumes of the farsightedness and sagacity of the Party General Secretary, Vietnam must work towards self-reliance to preclude technology denials by advanced nations and overcome supply chain vulnerabilities through innovation. In less than a year of its announcement, the results of Resolution 57 are visible, potentially changing the hi-tech landscape of the country. Vietnam is emerging as a more agile, creative, and globally competitive destination for Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Dr. Vijay Sakhuja is Professor and Head, Center of Excellence for Geopolitics and International Studies (CEGIS), REVA University, Bengaluru, and is associated with Kalinga International Foundation, New Delhi.