To set up an official connection between Vietnam and US businesses in information technology, communications and telecommunication (ITC) was an option raised at a meeting in Hanoi on May 12 to boost trade and investment in this area between the two countries.

 

The meeting is part of a programme on Vietnam-US dialogues on trade and investment in ITC.

 

In addition to the connection option, or ITC business gateway, the meeting considered measures to speed up the working-level cooperation between the two Governments and between the two industries through workshops and dialogues.

 

Other initiatives included US assistance in human resource development, investment in ICT technology and services.

 

These initiatives were based on Vietnam ’s current development and orientation on the ICT development as well as US relevant policy, into which were discussed at the meeting.

 

Vietnam and the US have enjoyed major progress in ICT over the past 15 years, which has proven to be an increasingly important connection in bilateral relations as remarked by Deputy Minister of Information and Communications (MIC) Nguyen Minh Hong at the meeting.

 

Hong emphasised that the ministry strongly encouraged multi-national groups, including those based in the US , to boost investment and trade in ITC so as to turn Vietnam into a dynamic market.

 

So far, most of US IT giants such as Microsoft, Motorola, IBM and Intel have operated profitably in Vietnam and entered into a good business with local companies such as VNPT, Viettel, FPT and VDC.

 

The US has also emerged as Vietnam ’s leading export market in software and digital contents.

 

Cora Dickson from the American Department of Commerce unveiled a plan to continue bilateral dialogues on software industry and building an e-Government in Vietnam in an effort to make the Southeast Asian country a power in information technology./.

 

(VNA)