Hanoi (VNA) – The Hoa Lac High-Tech Park, which has just been officially handed over to the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), is poised to develop into a sci-tech urban centre, a modern educational hub with regional influence that significantly shapes economic growth and development of both Hanoi and the entire country.

Founded in 1998, Hoa Lac High-Tech Park has successfully drawn 111 investment projects, including 96 domestic and 15 foreign-invested ones, accumulating a total registered investment capital of 111.5 trillion VND (4.64 billion USD at current exchange rate) over the past 25 years of formation and development.

Opportunity to materialise goals

During a ceremony marking the park’s transfer from the MoST, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Tran Sy Thanh affirmed that this shift provides the city with a favourable opportunity to concretise the goals outlined in the Politburo’s Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW dated May 5, 2022 regarding development orientations and tasks for Hanoi until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

In a presentation sent to a seminar on several theoretical and practical issues in the building and implementation of the Hanoi Capital Planning in 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050, Dr. Ha Huy Ngoc from the Vietnam Institute of Economics said building an ecosystem for sci-tech and innovation, centred around a supportive establishment, has proven effective.

A scheme on adjusting the General Planning of Hanoi until 2045 with a vision to 2065 has outlined development directions for two locomotive regions, including the north of the Red River, focusing on high-quality services; and the western part, envisioned as a city of sci-tech, innovation and digital transformation.

In the western part, Hoa Lac urban area is envisioned as a hub for advanced technology, top-notch education and training where there are research centres, universities, laboratories for digital technology and artificial intelligence, and facilities for technology application and transfer. Incentives will be put in place to attract high-caliber human resources and businesses.

Prof. Hoang Van Cuong, former Vice Rector of the National Economics University which leads the consulting consortium for the Hanoi Capital Planning, noted that Hoa Lac High-Tech Park is oriented towards an open development model, acting as a nucleus to build and propel Hanoi into a leading innovation centre in the country.

Untangling knots for development

“To realise this, the park needs to address bottlenecks related to basic needs such as clean water supply, public transportation, housing, public infrastructure, internal road infrastructure, central internet system, data centres”, he added.

He also proposed special mechanisms and policies for the park, including giving priority to drawing strategic investors and supporting innovative startup activities in priority areas of Hanoi. Additionally, the city should provide tax incentives.

In another presentation, Dr. Nguyen Quang from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme – UN Habitat) mentioned orientations to building a “knowledge village,” a crucial component of Hoa Lac High-Tech Park. Accordingly, the area will evolve into a green, innovative and humane city with mixed-use purposes, diverse scales, as well as housing, infrastructure, transportation, social and ecological services.

“It is necessary to plan areas with mixed-use purposes, diverse scales, residential and business office projects, and services that catch up with not only current needs but also future changes. Furthermore, sustainable development with the role of a green city and green technology is also crucial”, Quang said.

At a ceremony to sign minutes on the handover of Hoa Lạc High-Tech Park between the MoST and the municipal People’s Committee on November 24, Chairman Thanh affirmed the determination to pool and effectively tap resources from the State and local budgets, and social resources to continue developing the park according to the set directions and goals.

According to Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat, the transfer is a significant and crucial turning point in the building and development process of the park. The MoST will continue accompanying and working with the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee to propel the development of the park in the coming time./.