UK and Vietnam enhance cooperation in digital economy

From 2022, the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications will consider rolling out Vietnam-UK digital forums, investment promotion programs, and seminars so that businesses of both sides can seek partners, expand markets and cooperate in the digital economy and transformation.

Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung (L) and Chris Philp, the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (R). Photo: TTXVN

Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung stated at a workshop held on the sidelines of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s working trip to attend the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in the UK.

At the meeting on November 1 (local time) in London, Vietnamese Minister Nguyen Manh Hung and Chris Philp, the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) signed a Letter of Intent on cooperation in the field of the digital economy and transformation between the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam and DCMS.

At the event, the two ministers discussed strategic orientations and national programs on the development of the digital economy and digital society.

The two sides also exchanged views on opportunities for expanding cooperation between regulators of both countries on digital transformation, digital economy, the linkage between digital businesses, measures to jointly build and implement initiatives within the framework of the UK-ASEAN Digital Innovation Partnership, and the Asia-Pacific Digital Trade Network.

Minister Chris Philp introduced a plan that will put into effect initiatives to expand cooperation in digital economy development with Asia-Pacific and ASEAN, through the digital innovation cooperation program and a program to support ASEAN in deploying digital trade platform as well as standards and architectural framework for smart city building.

Over the past 10 years, the British Government has implemented many initiatives and supportive policies to promote the digital economy. It has turned the country into one of the destinations with a fast-growing digital economy and a large digital business community with the world's leading number of tech unicorns.

On the same day, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung had a working session with representatives from the UK trade association techUK and the UK -ASEAN Business Council (UKABC).

Minister Hung affirmed that cooperation between the two countries' digital enterprises still has great potential and needs to be further promoted, with the connecting role of both management agencies and related associations in the two countries.