In the meeting, Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan briefly introduced the current conditions and the potential labor market of HCMC, with a population of around 10 million citizens and 30 percent of the human resources possessing university or college degrees, along with low labor cost.
He therefore hoped that Mayor Ron Huldai would share experience on creating a smart city and a welcoming environment to attract giant technological corporates as well as innovative startup entrepreneurs.
According to Mayor Huldai, Tel Aviv is an economic and cultural center of Israel and is now considered an international city thanks to a great number of businesses operating here and tourists coming here (accounting for 70 percent).
Being the second largest city in Israel with a population of over 400,000 citizens on a surface area of 52km2, Tel Aviv City is considered by Wall Street Journal as the second largest innovative startup city in the world, only after the Silicon Valley of the USA.
It possesses the highest number of startup entrepreneurs (67 percent of the nation), 84 startup incubators, and a startup-businessed density of 290 people per startup.
Taking advantage of the cutting edge technology, citizens, the local authorities, and businesses of Tel Aviv all participate in a network to share knowledge and data.
The project of ‘building a smart city’ here is always adapted to suit the rapid change of the reality and the society, based on the encouragement of innovation and creativity. This results in the city becoming one of the smartest cities worldwide.
At the Town Hall of Tel Aviv City, the Vietnamese delegation attentively listened to the introduction of Digitel – the official website of Tel Aviv City. It can be customized in accordance with the demands of users. For example, it can deliver information about current construction sites nearby; cultural, sports, or tourism events happening in the city; parking locations around the city along with the number of space available; and even send messages for learning registration.
The transparency policy of the city allows residents to access the city’s database (except sensitive data) for community activities. The online public administrative services help citizens to contact, retrieve information, and carry out services conveniently. For instance, they can ask for a parking permit online, which will then be sent directly to their home address. They can also register their business, ask for a construction permit, or register a place in kindergarten for their children online.
The website also has a section for emergency to cope with security problems when conflicts happen via a monitoring camera system installed in schools and public locations
In the afternoon of May 22, after taking part in the reception of the Minister of Science and Technology of Israel M. K. Ophir Akunis, the Vietnamese delegation had a tour at Green 2000 Ltd. Co., an agricultural company having operated for 25 years. Besides the normal activities of cultivating crops, raising and slaughtering cattle, manufacturing dairy products and food, the company also transfers high-tech agricultural solutions to those in need.
In the evening of the same day, Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan had a discussion with Israeli professors about innovative startup policies and scientific research regarding their strong points such as Nano technology and high-tech agriculture.
