"This moment is a golden opportunity for Vietnam"

"Vietnam's moment has come - a golden opportunity to take the lead in the AI era"

On October 10, the first Private Economic Panorama Program (ViPEL 2025) took place at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Sovico Group, emphasized that the world is shifting strongly in the technology and artificial intelligence revolution, opening up a "golden opportunity" for Vietnam to break through and take the lead in the new era.

"We are living in an era where artificial intelligence, semiconductors, data and the digital economy are changing every day, every hour. These technologies not only shape the way we produce, but also change the way we live, learn and develop," said Ms. Thao.

According to her, in that context, the big question is how Vietnam will participate in this global game. "This moment is a golden opportunity for Vietnam - the beginning of a golden decade of innovation," Ms. Thao emphasized.

She cited that Vietnam is currently in the top 6 globally in terms of openness to artificial intelligence, and at the same time possesses a strongly developing innovation ecosystem, ranging from digital finance, smart manufacturing to clean energy.

In the semiconductor sector, the shift in global supply chains gives Vietnam a unique advantage: a safe, dynamic and attractive environment. “For the first time, we have the opportunity to participate more deeply in the value chain of the world’s leading technology corporations,” Ms. Thao emphasized.

She believes that future fields such as agricultural drones, clean energy or carbon credits are “big windows of opportunity” for Vietnamese businesses. “Vietnam’s time has come. If we dare to think, dare to do and dare to go fast, we can absolutely become the new innovation center of Asia,” she affirmed.

However, to turn opportunities into reality, Vietnam needs to overcome four major challenges. The first is infrastructure and data, when the payment system is still thin, data is scattered and not secure enough. The second is institutions and law, requiring an open, flexible legal framework, allowing for testing in a sandbox model. The third is human resources, requiring training of high-quality technology engineers and financial and management experts. And finally, capital, because innovation cannot go far without long-term capital flows and real support from the State, businesses and society.

According to Ms. Thao, the private sector needs to take the lead in public-private partnerships to create the future with the Government. “It is not only important to have the right policies, but also to have the right mindset: the mindset of working together and creating value together,” she said.

Vietnam can select leading enterprises in key areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and digital finance to share risks and seize investment opportunities together.

“Technology is not just a tool, but also a story of people, vision and dreams. When the Government creates, businesses pioneer, and society accompanies, we will create a combined strength, helping Vietnam break through and rise to lead,” she shared.

“The 21st century must be the century of Vietnamese intelligence – a creative, self-reliant and shining Vietnam. The private business community is committed to accompanying the Government to build a strong, prosperous and happy Vietnam,” Ms. Thao affirmed.

Unleashing Vietnam's agricultural potential

Sharing about the agriculture, forestry and fishery sector, Mr. Mai Huu Tin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of U&I Investment Joint Stock Company, emphasized that this is a field with great room for development, but to make a breakthrough, it needs a substantial and constructive action mechanism like ViPEL, to unleash potential and optimize national competitive advantages.

“Vietnam has ideal natural conditions for agriculture and aquaculture, and is among the world’s leading exporters of coffee, rice and many other products. Vietnamese people are diligent, intelligent and quick learners – that is the most valuable resource for advancement,” said Mr. Tin.

However, he said that the connection between enterprises and the State is still limited, causing the industry to not have a long-term development strategy. “The industry ecosystem is still spontaneous, lacking a strong public-private partnership mechanism. The connection between pioneering enterprises and small enterprises is weak, leading to national resources such as land not being exploited effectively,” he analyzed.

In addition, the agricultural sector still faces many policy barriers: slow tax refunds, difficulty in accessing credit, lack of brand support and export promotion. Most products are still exported raw or poorly processed, reducing added value and national brand.

To overcome this, Mr. Mai Huu Tin proposed implementing the ViPEL mechanism as a breakthrough solution, based on three pillars: creative policies, leading enterprises and accompanying State agencies. “Policies must be truly open, administrative procedures must be simple. Clear land, credit, and taxes; at the same time, encourage innovation, promote trade and build national brands,” he added.

According to Mr. Tin, the private sector must play a leading role, forming a chain of links in the industry, and coordinating with the State in planning and sustainable investment. “Competent enterprises need to become the locomotives, leading small and medium enterprises, instead of competing in a scattered manner,” he emphasized.

He also called for strong changes from the State, especially in areas such as amending the Land Law, digitalizing management, expanding access to credit and infrastructure projects for private enterprises. “There needs to be a clear public-private partnership mechanism, with ViPEL playing the role of a bridge, independent reviewer and promoting substantive action,” he proposed.

Finally, Mr. Mai Huu Tin emphasized that private enterprises must proactively take responsibility, not just expect policies. “We must take a leading position, participate in funds, programs, criticize policies and provide transparent information, so that ViPEL can become a truly effective model of action,” he affirmed.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/thoi-khac-nay-chinh-la-co-hoi-vang-cua-viet-nam-20251010172852679.htm