Viet Nam plans to become one of the world’s most powerful countries in the information and communication technology industry, according to Le Doan Hop, Minister of Information and Communications.

Speaking during an online talk on IT strategy on Sunday, Hop said Viet Nam should become one of the 70 top ICT countries from 2015 - 2020.

The goal was realistic, given the last five years of success of the national IT development programme, the minister said.

Four pillars

The project, which the ministry ratified early this month and is submitting to the Government for approval, defines four major pillars of a powerful ICT country: infrastructure, application, industry and human resources.

Targets include building a telecommunications infrastructure; introducing audio-visual devices, computers and internet to households; developing an IT industry; training an IT labor force; founding ICT corporations; and expanding international co-operation in the field.

Hop said Viet Nam would develop public broadband infrastructure, speed up IT application in State agencies; and do outsourcing work for multinationals, especially in new technologies

It would also prioritise the development of software products and made-in-Viet Nam digital contents, and nurture a highly qualified contingent of 100,000 hardware and 30,000 software experts.

The plan is also expected to help IT enterprises integrate into the world market, advertise their images and trademarks, set up IT stimulus funds, and complete a legal framework in favor of IT enterprises.

He said the ministry was drafting policies on taxes and industrial parks for software companies.

Viet Nam currently ranks 92 in the international telecommunications union (ITU)’s ranking, rising from the 107th spot in 2004.

In internet growth, the country ranks 18th in the world and sixth in Asia with 21 million subscribers, according to the market research company KPMG.

The e-government indicator in 2008 jumped 15 steps compared with its ranking in 2005.

The country’s networked readiness index rose more than 10 spots and the ICT development index 20.

The ICT industry in 2008 saw rapid development, with total revenue of US$4.74 billion, and average growth of 49 per cent.

The computer hardware sector contributed about $700 million (up 16 per cent), the software sector $670 million (up 35 per cent), and the digital content industry $270 million (up 50 per cent).