2021 is a year to boost Vietnam technology development: ICT Minister

2021 is a year of strong development for Vietnam's technology, and the "Make in Vietnam" strategy will help the country develop further, Information and Communications Minister Nguyen Manh Hung has said.

Mr. Hung was speaking at the national forum entitled "Digital Technology Enterprises: The Driving Force for the Development of Vietnam's Digital Economy" held in Hanoi on December 23.

An overview of the national forum is held on December 23 in Hanoi. Photo: vietnamnet

One year after the governmental Directive on the development of digital technology enterprises came into force, over 13,000 digital technology enterprises have been established in Vietnam. So far the digital business community totals nearly 60,000 members who serve as an important driving force for Vietnam’s economic development.

In a letter sent to the form, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc wrote: “In such a challenging year of 2020, the local business community's leading companies have played a key role in maintaining Vietnam’s economic growth and security. The digital business community needs to pioneer and contribute more to digital technology transformation for Vietnam development.” 

The Prime Minister expected that with support from the government and new opportunities, the Vietnamese digital business community will achieve strong growth in the coming time.

Minister Hung underlined that over the past year, mastering technology helps Vietnam quickly create digital products and services for the Covid-19 prevention and adaptation to the new normal such as NCOVI, Bluezone, CoMeet, online learning and medical consulting platforms.

“Rapid response is a vital factor forenterprises in the unpredictable era,” Mr. Hung said. “Make in Vietnam is a slogan of action - make products, instead of outsourcing and assembling.”

One of the steps in the process of mastering technology is that Vietnam being the 5th country in the world to own 5G infrastructure and produce 5G smartphones, Mr. Hung said, adding that this is the result of creative work and persistent determination to overcome all difficulties and obstacles.

The Minister said that Vietnam's future strategy is to build a digital economy. Therefore, “Make in Vietnam” needs a long-term vision and the solution is open technology, he said.

From the viewpoint of a technology company, Mr. Pham Kim Hung, founder/CEO of Base.vn - a Vietnamese SaaS platform, said that Vietnamese companies are facing strong competition not only domestically but also in the world. To win at home and compete with foreign competitors, Vietnamese businesses need focus on product development, always working to create better products first.

“Make in Vietnam is how to find a way to develop good products at competitive prices,” he stressed.