Vietnam’s strategy of regarding information technology (IT) and communications as key factors that will transform its socio-economic structure, is vital to the country developing a knowledge-based economy and an informed society.

Minister of Information and Communications Le Doan Hop stated this during an online meeting held Hanoi, with Da Nang City and Ho Chi Minh City on the development of the country’s IT and communications infrastructure on May 28.

To achieve this target, he added, there should be a higher level of cooperation between the ministries, relevant agencies, local people’s committees and the business community to increase the use of the existing technological infrastructure.

According to the delegates, telecommunications projects, like electricity and water supplies, must be included in the development plans for urban areas, industrial zones and export-processing zones.

The construction of underground telecoms cable networks must be completed before the building of other infrastructure facilities on the ground, they said.

They also discussed how to access people in mountainous and remote areas to broadband Internet, to enable them to develop their socio-economy and narrow the gap between the country’s regions.

Capital should be mobilised from public telecoms services to fund the costs of upgrading the country’s telecoms infrastructure and introducing broadband services to these areas, they suggested. They also stressed on the necessity to use overseas aid to bring such projects to fruition.

VietNamNet/VNA