The cooperation between Vietnam and the United States in information and communication technology (ICT) have generated positive results and proved its increasingly important role as a bridge to promote cooperation for mutual development in a sustainable and efficient manner towards “Constructive partnership, friendship, multi-faceted cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect," for the benefits of the two peoples and contribution to international peace and cooperation.
Vietnam has been globally seen as a greatly potential market for ICT development. The Government of Vietnam itself has also appreciated the importance of its cooperation with other countries, especially the United States. The two countries have facilitated active cooperation in this field and exchanged many high-level visits, making the Vietnam - United States relationship a model of ICT cooperation.
Currently, many US-based groups like Microsoft, Motorola, IBM, Intel and Cisco have been increasing their presence in Vietnam. The presence of world-leading groups has created a buoyant ICT market in Vietnam. For the time being, most of these corporations are doing business well in the Southeast Asian nation. Companies of the two countries have initiated and promoted many ICT cooperation activities, for example, Vietnam’s VNPT, Viettel, FPT and VDC have cooperated with the US-based Microsoft, Motorola, IBM and Intel. The close cooperation of the two countries’ businesses demonstrates the successful two-way relations since Vietnam and the United States of normalised relations 16 years ago. Besides, the United States is a potential market for Vietnam’s software and digital content exports.
In particular, through the United States - Vietnam Information and Communications Technologies Commercial Dialogue, ICT cooperation activities carried out by companies of the two countries have increased dramatically and many issues have been resolved. The United States - Vietnam Information and Communications Technologies Commercial Dialogue is one of programmes promoting trade and investment in ICT products and services between the two nations. The dialogue, launched in September 2007 in Hanoi, has achieved remarkable results. Many seminars related to developing human resources and new technology have been organised.
The Vietnamese ICT industry grew robustly in 2002 - 2010. The industry’s revenue was just US$400 million in 2002, but climbed to US$7.4 billion in 2010. According to the latest report on ICT development by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) which ranked ICT development in 159 countries and territories in 2010, Vietnam was among the top 20 countries in terms of Internet users. In Asia, Vietnam ranked 14th on the ICT development index.
Currently, Vietnam is advancing a strategy in an attempt to become a global ICT powerhouse. Vietnam now has 500,000 ICT students and 100,000 ICT engineers. The country expects to increase the household internet connection rate to one connection per 20-30 households in the near future. By 2015, Vietnam will be ranked among the Top 70 in the world in terms of ICT, with the industry making up 20 percent of GDP. By 2020, it will secure a position in the Top 60 global ICT ranking, with ICT value accounting for 23 percent of GDP, and become one of the 10 largest providers of ICT services in the world.
To achieve these goals, apart from promoting internal resources, Vietnam will strengthen cooperation with foreign institutions and companies, especially in the United States. In the upcoming time, the two sides will advance dialogues on software industry and e-government in Vietnam; promote expert level cooperation between the US and Vietnam governments; and support ICT training, technical investment and services to quicken the process of making Vietnam an ICT powerhouse.
Thanh Truc
Vietnamese
