Sophia (R), the world's first robot declared a citizen, at the Industry 4.0 Summit and Exhibition 2018 held in Hanoi last month (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Government of Vietnam considers the fourth IndustrialRevolution (also known as Industry 4.0), especially aspects concerningartificial intelligence, a huge opportunity for Vietnam to become a modern,industrialised nation in the near future, said Minister of Planning andInvestment Nguyen Chi Dung.

“Industry 4.0 is a shortcut to bring the country to modernity andprosperity,” Dung said at a press conference in Hanoi on August 10, providinginformation on Vietnam’s innovation network programme.

The fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the current world, frombusiness production to services provision, he said, adding that the movement hascreated a golden opportunity for Vietnam to catch up with the latest technologicaland economic development trends around the world.

The minister said that the Party and State have always paid dueattention to gathering Vietnamese talents in the fields of science andtechnology to serve the country’s development.

Following the direction of PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc,the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is building a national strategy forIndustry 4.0 which will be reported back to the government leader at the year’send.

The ministry is also working on establishing a national innovationcentre and a network of human resources which can assist with implementing thenational Industry 4.0 strategy, Dung said.

It will coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology, theMinistry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training, as well asother agencies and localities to organise the Vietnam innovation networkprogramme, he added.

The programme, initiated by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, aimsto mobilise Vietnamese experts in the field, including those working in foreigncountries with advanced science-technology development.

Tran Quoc Phuong, Director of the MPI’s National Economic IssuesDepartment, said the programme aims to share strategic visions and viewpointsof Party, State, and Government leaders regarding current opportunities toapproach and optimise scientific and technological accomplishments in keyareas, serving both the national short-term and sustainable socio-economicdevelopment targets.

The programme will take place from August 18-24 with a variety ofactivities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Quang Ninh, such as meetings withthe startup community and intellectuals in science-technology in Vietnam,exchanges amongst major groups and businesses in sci-tech application, andvisits to high-tech parks in Hanoi and HCM City.

About 100 Vietnamese youths who🐎 have excelled invarious fields – such as information technology, biotechnology, automatics,robotics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cyber security, and Internet of Things– are expected to attend the event.–VNA