DECIDES:

Article 1.- To approve the List of Scientific and Technological Programs and key scientific and technological tasks in the five-year period of 1996-2000, which include:

1. The Electronics-Informatics-Telecommunications Program: including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) To set up and organize the exploitation of the Internet and draw up the plan to launch Vietnam�s telecommunications satellite.

b) To deploy the information systems in service of the management of State activities and the geographical information system (GIS) in service of the State management.

c) To conduct researches into information protection; to ensure information safety in the network.

d) To research matters related to the Vietnamese language in the application and development of the Information Technology.

2. The bio-technological program in service of the sustainable agro-forestry-fishery development and the protection of the living environment and human health; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) The vegetal cell technology, the technology of rapid multiplication and resuscitation of plant breeds.

b) To develop technologies for the production of new vaccines and pharmaceuticals, and for diagnostic methods.

c) Technology for the production of nitrogen-fixing biological fertilizers and phosphates.

d) Technology for the production of biological products to kill harmful insects and diseases of plants.

3. The material technology program; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) Technologies for the production of high-utility polymer composite materials reinforced with basalt fiber, carbon fiber, inorganic powder of various kinds, vegetal fiber... in replacement of the traditional materials.

b) Anti-corrosion technologies for sea projects and materials used in heavily-corrosive surroundings.

c) Modern metallurgical technologies.

4. The automation technology program; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) To design and make a synchronous, inter-disciplinary, multi-purpose and flexible automation system which is suitable to Vietnam�s conditions and employs modern technologies (bionics, robotics, micro cybernetics).

b) To design and build facilities, equipment and system of automatic equipments for environmental control and protection, and prevention and fight against natural calamities.

c) To design and build systems of automatic control of moving objects.

5. The machine-building technology program; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) Advanced cast-making technologies: molding technology, flexible deformation technology; welding technology and welding materials.

b) Computerized numerical control (CNC) techniques, computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing in the machine-building industry.

6. The sea survey and research program; including the following key technological and scientific tasks:

a) To set up a sea data bank in service of formulating the strategy and plan for development of the sea economics and the defense of national sovereignty.

b) To develop the scientific basis for sea management (history, legality of national sovereignty over the sea areas, archipelagos, islands, delimitation of boundaries on the continental shelf...)

c) The scientific bases for the construction of sea projects.

7. The program on rational use of natural resources and environment protection; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) Causes of the desertification process in the Central and Southern Central provinces and methods to prevent and control it.

b) To study the environmental changes related to the socio-economic development planning in a number of important areas such as:

- The Mekong River Delta;

- The Red River Delta;

- The Ha Long - Quang Ninh area;

- The Central Highland.

c) To forecast the environmental developments in the area of the projected Son La hydro-electric power plant.

8. The program on comprehensive and diverse agricultural development by means of step-by-step modernization; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) To conduct research into high technologies for the selection and creation of high-yield and high quality rice varieties (purebred and hybrid rice with the potential yield of 10-14 tons/ha per crop)

b) To apply efficient technological processes in the exploitation, protection and expansion of the agricultural land fund.

c) To formulate the scientific basis for technological solutions in the exploitation and protection of water resources in service of agricultural production security in important areas.

d) To study and introduce advanced technologies and appropriate equipment in preserving and processing agricultural produce.

9. The program on the formulation of the strategy and policy for the sustainable energy development; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) To update and revaluate the energy resources according to the new economic and environmental standards.

b) To enter into energy cooperation and exchange with other countries in the region.

c) To determine the scientific, economic and social grounds for the development of nuclear energy.

10 The program on communications and transport industrialization and modernization; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) To elaborate a master plan for transport and communications development to the year 2020, to conduct research into the scientific bases for unifying the systems of standards, processes and rules in the transport and communications industry in conformity with international practices and in service of industrialization and modernization.

b) To develop urban communications.

c) To conduct research into the design and building of container ships, ships with 10,000-30,000 DWt capacity, vessels with a speed of more than 30 nautical miles/hour.

11. The program on the protection and improvement of community health; including the following key scientific and technological tasks:

a) Strategic measures for improving the people�s health by checking and eliminating a number of epidemics and social diseases which require urgent attention, preventing the diseases occurring during the process of industrialization and social development.

b) To research the adverse effects of toxic chemicals used in agriculture and industry on human beings and the living environment as well as measures to ensure food safety.

Article 2.- The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment shall have to:

- Guide, direct and coordinate the force of technological and science workers in the performance of the above-said key scientific and technological tasks.

- Assign concrete tasks to the Ministries, the General Departments, the provinces and the cities directly under the Central Government.

- Regularly monitor and report to the Prime Minister the performance of the key scientific and technological tasks by the Ministries, General Departments, provinces and cities in the light of Decision No.419-TTg of July 21, 1995 of the Prime Minister on the mechanism of managing research activities to apply and develop technologies.

Article 3.- The Ministries, General Departments, People�s Committees of the provinces and the cities directly under the Central Government shall integrate the above-said tasks into their plans; organize, mobilize and coordinate their personnel to implement the State-assigned tasks under the guidance of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.

Article 4.- This Decision takes effect from the date of its signing.

Article 5.- The Ministers, the Heads of the ministerial-level agencies and the agencies attached to the Government, the Presidents of the People�s Committees of the provinces and the cities directly under the Central Government, the Directors of the National Scientific Centers, the Directors of the National Universities, and the concerned agencies shall have to implement this Decision.