Breakthroughs in Vietnam ASOCIO ICT Summit 2014

Two days ago (Oct 29, 2014) in Hanoi, Vietnam ASOCIO ICT Summit 2014 took place. The topic of this summit is "IT - new methods of socio-economic development and agricultural restructure".

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam attended and spoke at the opening ceremony. Attendants of the summit are Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Minh Hong, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Director of World Bank in Vietnam and 700 delegates from the associations and corporations of 20 Asian - Oceania leading economies. Also, the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Fatherland Front of Vietnam Nguyen Thien Nhan and representatives of leaders of ministries, branches and Hanoi People's Committees attended the summit.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Fatherland Front of Vietnam shared that over the last 35 year, Vietnam information technology and Communication reaches the fastest pace of development, the highest socialization, earliest and deepest global integration. From being a country of import equipment, computers and mobile phones, Vietnam becomes one of world leading countries exporting information technology products by dint of appealing and using effectively foreign investment in Vietnam and promotes strength of domestic resources. Revenue from the industry of information technology in Vietnam in 2013 reached 39.5 billion US dollars, up 55.3% compared to 2012 due to the hardware industry. Electronics industry increases by 59.7% with sales of over 36.7 billion and accounts for 93% of total revenue of information and technology industry.

Software industry and digital content also grew strongly, by 12.7% and 13.9% respectively. Exports of information technology products in 2013 reached 34.76 billion US dollars, an increase of over 51.7% compared with 2012. Especially, in the field of information and technology, Vietnam has a trade surplus of 8.4 billion in 2013. System of personnel training in information technology continues to be steady with approximately 290 higher education and colleges establishments, and 150 vocational training institutions on information technology.

In 2013, Vietnam is one of Top 10 Asian countries having the fastest growth rate of Internet users in the region, reaching up to 33.19 million. Vietnam continued ranking 4th in the Southeast Asian, and 99/193 on e-government in 2013 with 100% state agencies having electronic pages/portal, offers more than 100,000 online public services to local people and businesses. Information Technology is the leading industry in international integration. Since the open door policy of Vietnam, leading information technology Businesses in Vietnam have rapidly appeared all around the world. Currently, most of world leading corporations have their presences in Vietnam, not only for selling products but also for long-term, large and increasingly growing investment in Vietnam like Samsung, Intel, Microsoft, IBM, HP, and Alcatel - Lucent, etc.

Currently, Samsung is leading with invested scale of nearly US $ 6 billion, while Intel has invested over $ 1 billion, along with well-known brands such as Microsoft, IBM, HP, Alcatel - Lucent investing in Vietnam. Since 2012, Vietnam has jumped to be the 2nd largest outsourcing partner of Japan. Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front emphasized the belief about the beautiful future in cooperation development relations between the economies and businesses in Asia-Oceania. Vietnam invites international friends to share and to generate together towards building a dynamic, creative and civilized Asia - Oceania community.

In the program, Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) rewarded certificates and introduced the international community 30 leading information technology firms in Vietnam in 2014. These are typical enterprises in two areas: software package and BPO / outscourcing / offstore. This activity is a part of support program for IT enterprises in Vietnam to expand market to the world, establishing their position, and Vietnam position in the global value-added chain. Among 30 enterprises, there are many famous names of information technology in Vietnam, including local and foreign-owned companies as FPT Software, TMA Solutions, Harvey Nash Vietnam, MK Smart, DiGi -Texx Vietnam, CMC Software Solution, TVE... This is the first time Vietnam organized a program on inducing selected businesses in the world. VINASA will approve their system of international bilateral and multilateral partner organizations, including World Information Technology Services Alliance (WITSA), Asian-Oceania Computing Organization (ASOCIO). The program introduced 30 information technology enterprises in Vietnam to businesses, business associations and organizations selected in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world; provided opportunities and support connectivity, collaboration, identification potential partners.

After 8-day intensive seminar on 3 main topics: Information Technology for Agricultural Restructuring, Information Technology - a new development method to improve the efficiency of public services, and SMAC - smart developed technology platform, Mr. Abdulah Kafi, Chairman of ASOCIO sent governments, business associations in Asian - Oceania the message of the ASOCIO ICT Summit 2014. It is the information technology invading and spreading to all areas of social activity, creating new value added for each sector as well as for the entire economy, and accelerating intellectual economy and informative society. With the convergence of social network, personal mobile, analytical applications and cloud computing, it will certainly create new growth platforms in which every individual value will maximized. Based on information technology background, agriculture will become a green and smart economy, each household has the opportunity to become a business with outstanding values of productivity and yield, along with the quality of better life. Countries and businesses should cooperate to develop and build a prosperous Asia-Oceania.