DONG THAP IS ACCELERATING ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF GROWTH IN ASSOCIATION WITH SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION

Identifying science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as key drivers and strategic breakthroughs in the new development phase, the People's Committee of Dong Thap province has issued a program to attract investment in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation projects in the province.

This is a strategic step, demonstrating the proactive and creative approach of the local Party committee and government in applying and concretizing the Central Committee's resolutions to the province's socio-economic development.

Accordingly, the program aims to attract projects that apply high technology, clean technology, and environmentally friendly technologies; use land resources efficiently and effectively; and produce products with low intellectual content and high added value, capable of spreading and connecting production and supply chains in the region and nationwide.

Based on leveraging the province's comparative advantages, it prioritizes attracting investment in key areas: processing and manufacturing industries linked to high technology; high-tech agriculture; logistics; smart healthcare; smart tourism; renewable energy; and information technology services.

As one of the key localities in the Mekong Delta region, Dong Thap continues to affirm the role and position of agriculture as a pillar of the province's economy. However, to meet the requirements of the new era, the province advocates a strong shift towards ecological agriculture and high-tech agriculture models, linked to deep processing industries, adapting to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The province aims to develop key sectors such as fruits, seafood, and rice along large-scale value chains; Promoting the linkage of the "four stakeholders" - the State, scientists, businesses, and farmers - in applying digital technology in traceability and management of growing and farming areas is crucial. Reorganizing production according to new cooperative models, with businesses leading the value chain, is expected to enhance the competitiveness of Dong Thap's agricultural products in domestic and international markets.

In the industrial sector, Dong Thap province prioritizes attracting large-scale processing and manufacturing projects with high technological content, applying artificial intelligence (AI), automation, smart manufacturing, and implementing green transformation. Developing supporting industries, logistics, and renewable energy is identified as a crucial direction to gradually form a modern industrial ecosystem, reducing dependence on natural resource exploitation and unskilled labor.

Simultaneously, the province focuses on investing in the development of industrial park and cluster infrastructure in a synchronized and modern manner, adhering to green, clean, and sustainable criteria. The province also strengthens efforts to attract businesses with advanced technological capabilities, modern management, and a commitment to technology transfer and on-site human resource training.

Deeply aware of the government's role in fostering development, Dong Thap province continues to promote administrative procedure reforms in a substantive and effective manner; build a digital government; perfect the investment promotion portal and integrate open data on planning, land funds, land lease prices, and investment incentive policies. A digital investment map is being urgently developed to help investors access information quickly, conveniently, and transparently.

The "one-stop shop – one point of responsibility" model, along with the synchronized implementation of electronic file codes, is being applied to shorten the time for resolving administrative procedures, reduce compliance costs, and minimize risks for businesses. Regular dialogues with businesses, on-site support for investors, and timely resolution of obstacles and difficulties during project implementation are identified as key solutions to improve the efficiency and quality of investment attraction.

In recent years, the development of the digital economy and the promotion of innovation in Dong Thap province have yielded many encouraging initial results. The province focuses on implementing the digital economy in five key areas: e-commerce, smart tourism, smart agriculture, smart manufacturing, and smart logistics.

To date, the province has 29 science and technology enterprises and 24 innovative startups. An innovation ecosystem is gradually being formed with the pilot operation of co-working spaces to support businesses and startups; the completion of the Provincial Startup and Innovation Space Project, aiming to become a center connecting businesses with experts, research institutes, and training facilities.

The province is also promoting the development of digital technology enterprises and boosting the activities of the Mekong Software Park to connect organizations, businesses, and households with the ecosystem of digital products and services. According to the results of the 2025 Local Innovation Index (PII), Dong Thap ranked 18th out of 34 provinces and cities – an initial result reflecting the commendable efforts of the locality in shifting its growth model towards science, technology, and innovation.

With the newly issued Investment Attraction Program, Dong Thap province demonstrates high political determination in creating a breakthrough in the quality of growth, gradually transforming Dong Thap into a relatively developed locality in the Mekong Delta region, aiming to build a green economy, a knowledge-based economy, and sustainable development in the long term – successfully achieving the goals and tasks set forth in the Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress.