VietNamNet Bridge - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed this in his opening speech at the 2013 Vietnam ICT Summit, which took place on June 20 in Hanoi.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung at 2013 Vietnam ICT Summit.

The biggest event of the Vietnam information and communication industry this year attracted not only operators in this field, but also many officials and experts from other sectors. They came here to search for information, solutions and to get a better understanding of the ability to improve competitiveness for all sectors and all areas by information technology.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that Vietnam ICT Summit is an important event, an opportunity to discuss trends, visions and solutions to the development of IT to serve industrialization - modernization of the country.

"This year’s forum discusses the promotion of the role of IT in improving competitiveness, focusing on the issue of building the national information infrastructure, improving the competitiveness of the economy, institutional reforms, education and training reforms. These are the issues special interests of the government," said PM Dung.

He said the government had identified IT as one of the most important driving forces of development, contributing to dramatic changes in social and economic life. “IT is the foundation of a new development method. Development and applications of IT in business and management, aiming to improve the overall national competitiveness, is the shortest way for Vietnam to catch up with the developed world, catch up with the times," the Prime Minister stated.

Mr. Yukio Hatoyama, former Japanese Prime Minister and the current President of the Institute of East Asian Community, shared the stories of success of Japan when highlighting the role of IT in the economic development strategy. "After taking the oath of never waging war, Japan poured resources into economic development. It is not overstating that technology is the engine driven economic growth and quickly turning Japan into one of the world leaders in technology," Hatoyama said.

Even when Japan's economic bubble busted and the situation became difficult, the government budget did not increase, but the Japanese government has always believed in the necessity of constantly increasing the budget for science and technology, the foundation of national strength. The Law on Science and Technology of Japan took effect from 1995. Besides, to implement a systematic policy to promote science and technology, the Japanese government developed five-year Basic Science and Technology Plans and it is now the fourth plan.

According to Mr. Hatoyama, when the Internet began to be popular, the bandwidth utilization rate was low while the charges were very high. To turn Japan into a leading IT country, the government worked out the e-Japan strategy, which helped slash Internet access fee by two thirds without four years while increase the number of high-speed Internet subscribers by 20 times. As a result, Japan's IT infrastructure was developed very quickly.

In 2006, when the main objectives of the e-Japan strategy was basically achieved, the government proposed the u-Japan strategy with the goal of moving from key infrastructures based on wired service to creating universal network that connects wireless and wired services. This plan aimed to connecting every corner of daily life, creating social connections where citizens can get access to the Internet anytime, anywhere and from any device. These policies have created new values in Japan.

The former Prime Minister of Japan said that in the ICT sector, it is important for Vietnam today is investing resources to develop human resources so that in the near future, the people with their own hands can realize a universal social network.

"It is clear that training a large number of ICT engineers is crucial for the future development of Vietnam," Hatoyama said. "There is no doubt that ICT will play a very important role not only in promoting cross-border activities, but also to further strengthen this community. That’s why the today summit is particularly important. I hope one day, the entire East Asia will eventually be linked in a single community," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Software Association, stressed: "The objective of the ICT Summit 2013 is to contribute innovative thinking, increase awareness at the deeper level in all sectors and levels of the viewpoint that identifies IT as the foundation for new developing methods, IT is indispensable for a knowledge-based society, for the improvement of national competitiveness, contributing to the country’s fast and sustainable growth. Integration of ICT is required in all areas, all investment projects, firstly in administrative reform, transportation, health, education and urban development. These requirements must be institutionalized. This is the shortest way for the countries like Vietnam to have the opportunity to catch up with the developed countries."

Son Tung