The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) introduced eight core programs for the 2020-2025 period and reviewed results achieved by the information and communications (ICT) sector in the past five years at the 5th Congress of the Ministry’s Party Committee held in Hanoi on 18 August.
During the 2015-2020 period, the Ministry has achieved and exceeded the goals and tasks set out by the Resolution of the 4th Party Congress. Last year, the total revenue of the whole industry is estimated at nearly US$ 135 billion, an increase of 2.5 times compared to 2015. The sector contributed over US$ 4.3 billion, 1.6 times more than that of 2015, to the state budget.
Several large ICT firms in Vietnam are known internationally. In the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) global cybersecurity index rankings, Vietnam’s position rose sharply from 100 in 2017 to 50 in 2019. According to the Information and Communications Minister, Nguyen Manh Hung, development must rely on technology. Digital technology and digital infrastructure play a decisive role in the digital economy, contributing to making Vietnam a prosperous country in 2045 when Vietnam is 100 years old.
The Minister mentioned the eight core programs for the new development period:
- Transforming postage from newsletter delivery into the infrastructure of the physical flow of the digital economy. Building postal infrastructure to ensure the physical flow of the digital economy in addition to the data flow.
- Transform telecommunications infrastructure into the infrastructure of the digital economy. This would mean deploying 5G and providing a smartphone per person and fibre-optic internet line for each household. Deploying cloud infrastructure, digital identity platforms, and technology provision platforms such as AI, IoT, big data, blockchain, and digital transformation platforms for industries.
- Turn Vietnam into a cybersecurity powerhouse, with a focus on mastering the ecosystem of cybersecurity products, to ensure Vietnam’s prosperity in cyberspace and ensure cyber sovereignty.
- Transform from e-government to digital government; all government activities to be performed in a digital environment; create many useful services for the people; increase interactions between the people and the government.
- Transform from outsourcing to product development. The Make-in-Vietnam program, with the focus on research and manufacture of 5G, IoT equipment, and platforms for national digital transformation. Instead of processing and assembling, Vietnamese businesses will focus on making products.
- Develop digital technology enterprises, from 50,000 to 100,000 businesses, including those that own core technologies, both product development firms and innovative startups.
- The media must protect the national sovereignty of information, reflect honestly the main flow of Vietnamese society, create social consensus, social trust, spread positive energy, contribute to creating stability for national development, arousing aspirations for a strong and prosperous Vietnam, contributing to creating spiritual strength for Vietnam to thrive.
- Transmit from IT applications to digital transformation; lead and promote national digital transformation. Digital transformation is a revolution of the whole nation, the whole people. Digital transformation must go hand in hand with the protection of digital sovereignty.
The Minister explained that these eight programs are the new mission of the ICT industry to the country.
