The 9th session of the Joint Viet Nam-US Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (JCM-9) took place in HCM City yesterday.

The discussions focused on health care, agriculture, education and research, the environment, meteorology, hydrology and storm warning.

Other domains such as intellectual property, quality standards and measurements, outer space, and nuclear energy also drew attention from the two countries' governments.

A workshop on Viet Nam-US co-operation in promoting sustainable growth through research and innovation was held as part of the JCM-9.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan said since 2005 more than 30 joint projects have been implemented under the Viet Nam-US Protocol, which contributed to enhancing Vietnamese scientists' research and training capacity and creating a propitious environment for scientists to expand collaboration in research and technological transfer.

He added that Viet Nam proposed new co-operation issues at the JCM-9.

The proposals include building a database on the two countries'scientists, research projects and university network; building a system to encourage starts-up in the model of Silicon Valley, including policies and mechanisms for developing venture capital investment to support science-technology businesses; and extending the operation of the Viet Nam Education Foundation (VEF), which will end in 2018, through the new form of co-investment.

Increasing co-operation with developed countries like the US will enable Vietnamese businesses to improve, he noted.

The head of the US delegation to the session, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Science, Space, and Health Jonathan Margolis said the US is willing to work with Vietnamese partners in various fields.

Organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Viet Nam National University in Ho Chi Minh City, the JCM-9 will run until December 4.