The Hai Phong City People’s Committee has recently issued Report No. 122/BC-UBND on the implementation results of Government Resolution No. 189/NQ-CP, which concretizes Politburo Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW on the development and application of biotechnology. The report presents a comprehensive picture of the significant strides made by the port city in establishing biotechnology applications as an important foundation for the country’s sustainable development in the new context.

The Dissemination Journey and Strategic Significance

The deployment of biotechnology applications in Hai Phong is not merely the execution of an administrative task but carries vital significance in transforming the growth model. The city has thoroughly disseminated the Party’s guidelines, shifting the awareness of all levels of government, sectors, and the public regarding the importance of biotechnology applications in all areas of life.

On the policy front, Hai Phong has issued a comprehensive system of documents, including Plan No. 255/KH-UBND, Plan No. 252-KH/TU, and various schemes for developing the bio-industrial sector in agriculture and the environment through 2030. The significance of these efforts lies in creating a legal framework and practical basis to leverage specific advantages — particularly the marine economy — with the aim of making biotechnology applications an important economic-technical sector.

Breakthrough Achievements Across All Sectors

1. Agriculture and Aquaculture – The Pillar of Innovation

The city has successfully applied several new, high-yield crop varieties, including Gia Loc 516 rice, TĐ25 blast-resistant rice, VC09 cucumber, and KT7 late-blight-resistant potato. Notably, plant tissue culture technology has been used to restore and conserve precious genetic resources such as Dong Du orange, Gia Luan tangerine, Bang La apple, and rare orchid species. In livestock farming, the artificial insemination rate for pigs has exceeded 90%, producing high-quality commercial herds. The aquaculture sector has recorded breakthroughs with the development of nanochitosan production processes from shrimp by-products and IoT-enabled intensive shrimp farming.

2. Healthcare and Environment – Improving Quality of Life

Hai Phong has embraced cutting-edge biomedical technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to identify leukemia-causing genes and research new antibiotics derived from marine actinomycetes. In environmental protection, microbial-based waste treatment solutions and circular economy models (biogas) have helped significantly reduce pollution and effectively harness renewable energy.

3. National Defense, Security, and Industry

The city’s police force inaugurated the Biological Forensics Center (August 2025), which plays a pivotal role in crime investigation through DNA analysis and genome sequencing. Furthermore, biotechnology applications have been widely implemented in food processing and the production of biodegradable plastic bags that are environmentally friendly.

Assessment of Limitations and Their Root Causes

Despite the many positive outcomes, the report candidly acknowledges that biotechnology applications in the city have yet to develop in proportion to its potential and advantages. The scale of research and the capacity for product commercialization remain limited; the bio-industrial ecosystem linking research, production, and the market has not yet achieved strong integration.

The root causes of these limitations have been identified as follows:

• Lack of specific mechanisms: Policies for attracting business investment in biotechnology, particularly for startups and spin-off companies from research institutes, lack competitive appeal.
• Inadequate infrastructure and workforce: The city has not yet succeeded in attracting many leading international experts. Physical facilities and specialized laboratories have not uniformly reached international standards for large-scale pilot production.
• Weak technology absorption capacity: Enterprises primarily apply technology at a small scale and have not yet created a significant value chain from research through to product commercialization.
• Loose collaboration: The relationship between research institutions, universities, and enterprises has not been truly effective; communication of the application potential of biotechnology has not been sufficiently broad or deep.

Proposals and Recommendations for the New Period

To genuinely elevate Hai Phong’s biotechnology applications, the City People’s Committee has submitted key recommendations to the Government and the Ministry of Science and Technology:

First, it is necessary to issue specific mechanisms and policies to promote the development of the bio-industry in localities with marine economic advantages such as Hai Phong.

Second, the central government should support the city in developing research and innovation infrastructure, particularly in marine biotechnology applications to serve sustainable development.

Third, it is recommended that the city’s Innovation and Science-Technology Application Center be continuously recognized as an official member of the National Gene Bank Network to maintain and develop valuable genetic resources.

Finally, the city requests support for high-quality human resource training through international cooperation programs and the transfer of modern technologies.

With its foundation as a major marine economic center and its orientation toward becoming a regional innovation hub, Hai Phong is firmly committed to developing the Marine Science and Technology Program for the 2026–2030 period. The valuable lessons learned and well-founded recommendations drawn from practice will serve as a catalyst for the city to realize its ambition of advancing biotechnology applications, thereby contributing to national defense and the promotion of a green, sustainable economy.