HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City’s digital economy is hoped to account for 25% of the southern hub’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) by 2025.
The goal was set out in a Directive on speeding digital transformation and building HCM City into a smart city issued by the Standing Board of the municipal Party Committee.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
Accordingly, attention will be paid to raising public awareness of digital transformation; organising the implementation of digital transformation tasks and building digital government; and integrating and effectively exploiting data to serve the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, socio-economic recovery and development, and modern-oriented governance.
Specific action programmes will be mapped out and implemented, while the application of information technology will be accelerated across fields in association with ensuring information security and safety in building digital government, economy and society.
Investments will be strongly poured into human resources development, focusing on training and fostering cadres, civil servants and public employees.
Resources will be prioritised in digital transformation in Thu Duc city, contributing to forming a highly-interactive innovation city in the East of the southern hub.
Enterprises, especially those operating in information, communication, science and technology are encouraged to actively invest and join the digital transformation process, and provide essential digital services.
Experts said promoting digital transformation is one of the solutions to accelerate post-pandemic conomic recovery in HCM City and move towards strong development in the future, adding that the work should be considered one of the new growth drivers.
According to the HCM City Institute for Development Studies (HIDS), the digital economy contributed nearly 192 trillion VND (8.3 billion USD) to the city’s GRDP in 2021, equivalent to 14.41% of the total. The rate is expected to reach 15% in 2022.
HIDS has proposed to to build HCMC City into a financial technology hub (Fintech hub); develop testing policies (sandbox) on digital transformation; and complete a support and consultation centre for digital transformation (DXCentre).
According to Dinh Lam Thang, Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, the southern hub is one of the localities having the highest number of smartphone users. The fiber optic network infrastructure, broadband internet, and 3G and 4G mobile infrastructure cover 100% of communes, wards and townships in the city. These are advantages for it to speed up digital transformation in the time to come./.
Ho Chi Minh City’s official digital transformation portal //chuyendoiso.hochiminhcity.gov.vn has been put into operation, the municipal Department of Information and Communications said on March 18.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest economic hub, has been paying attention to developing the hi-tech industry so as to bring into full play opportunities brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Ho Chi Minh City is coordinating with the World Bank (WB) to develop a data management strategy, aiming to help the city better cultivate data for governance works, said Vo Thi Trung Trinh, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications on August 30.
Vietnamese businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), must embrace digital and AI transformations to remain competitive and achieve sustainable growth, experts said.
Under the European Union (EU)’s global initiative on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence (CoE), Vietnam has implemented numerous projects aimed at strengthening national capacity in detecting, preventing, and preparing for CBRN-related threats.
The course aims to promote knowledge exchange between scientific and educational schools from different countries, while deepening participants’ expertise in modern technology and technical education. It comprises two main specialisations of electronics-automation and nuclear technology.
ANTARA and VNA can design global-scale cooperation programmes or joint media campaigns, demonstrating the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as the cooperation between the two national news agencies.
As Vietnam’s digital transformation accelerates, both the frequency and severity of cyberattacks are growing. The National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) reported that in 2024 alone, there were some 659,000 separate cybersecurity incidents, impacting around 46.15% of government agencies and businesses.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
The average speed of the national mobile broadband network remained stable, with download speeds reaching 76.86 Mbps and upload speeds reaching 26.98 Mbps.
Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
In the digital age and amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, IP plays an increasingly critical role, not only in safeguarding inventions but also in reducing copyright infringement and curbing piracy.
A view of HCM City from above (Photo: VNA) 
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) 
