PM urges focus on digital transformation to spur economy

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, chairman of the National Committee on Digital Transformation, speaks at the second meeting of the committee

Estimated revenues of US$53 billion

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Huy Dung said the digital economy was making a growing contribution to Vietnam’s economy. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Vietnam’s digital economy revenues reached US$53 billion in the first quarter of the year. Of the total, the internet digital economy grew 28 percent, reaching US$8 billion in revenues, while the information and communications technology (ICT) economy and digital economy of industries averaged revenue growth of 15 percent each.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said the digitization rate of business documents reached 100 percent in the national database of business registration. In addition, the level 4 online public services were expanding effectively, Dung said.

As of now, the National Public Service Portal has integrated 3,552 online public services at level 3 and level 4, creating favorable conditions for people and businesses. In the first quarter of the year, more than 167,000 accounts were registered on the portal; over 14 million documents were synchronized and more than 163,000 online transactions worth over VND366 billion were recorded.

PM’s directions

In order to accelerate digital transformation, PM Chinh urged focusing on raising awareness of digital transformation in a substantive way.

The PM assigned the Ministry of Information and Communications to announce the list of digital platforms meeting the requirements and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to complete the statistics system and monitor public investment projects on digital transformation.

He asked the Ministry of Public Security to urgently complete a draft decree on personal data protection and submit it to the government for consideration and promulgation, and coordinate with ministries and departments to finalize a draft decree on electronic identification and authentication and submit it to the government for promulgation in May.

The Ministry of Health was tasked with directing hospitals and medical facilities to accept cashless payments for hospital fees and medical expenses, while the Ministry of Education and Training was asked to direct training institutions to accept cashless tuition fee payments.

PM Chinh asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade in coordination with the Ministry of Information and Communications and localities to promote e-commerce and digital commerce.

He also highlighted several tasks for the committee’s focus, including perfecting the digital institutions, developing digital transformation infrastructure, applying digital technology, mobilizing resources through the promotion of public-private partnerships, and improving the management capacity and quality of human resources.