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The scene of the meeting. (Photo: SGGP) |
The Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee directed the Department of Information and Communications, the HCMC Computer Association, and related departments to make a plan in the second quarter of this year to organize an IT investment promotion conference and a program to promote HCMC's IT industry to the world.
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Mr. Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee, speaks at the conference. (Photo: SGGP) |
In his opening remarks, the Chairman expressed the city's willingness to listen to the opinions of businesses openly and honestly. He also assured the attendees that the city would take immediate corrective actions for issues that fall within its authority.
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Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the HCMC Department of Information and Communications, speaks at the conference. (Photo: SGGP) |
During the conference, Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the HCMC Department of Information and Communications, stated that the 2023 plan, with the theme of Digital Transformation 2023, is Digital data. Accordingly, State agencies will focus on activities involving development, connection, sharing, exploitation, and data analysis for digital transformation, digital government development, digital economy, and digital society. These are the areas where the city seeks the collaboration of IT businesses in HCMC to work towards the goal of building a modern and sustainable city.
Mr. Lu Hong Chuong, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of MiSa Company, said that MiSa Company wants to attract 2,000 employees specializing in digital applications and content. However, the company is facing difficulty in finding a suitable location to build its infrastructure. The Saigon High-Tech Park (SHTP) has a lot of available lands, and MiSa has twice proposed investment plans to SHTP but has not received any response. So, MiSa Company hopes the city leaders will provide direction on this issue.
Mr. Nguyen The Phuong, Deputy General Director of FPT, stated that the IT industry had encountered a shortage of skilled professionals in recent years. This is evidenced by the high unemployment rate of 25 percent and a salary growth rate of 10 percent, indicating market demand. To sustain the growth of the IT industry, enterprises must prioritize human resource development. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.
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| Representatives of IT enterprises speak at the conference. (Photo: SGGP) |
Foreign enterprises operating in HCMC have also expressed their concerns. According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Diep, Chief Operating Officer of DIGI-TEXX Vietnam, her company has always encountered the barrier of being a foreign company while participating in State projects though it has many Vietnamese engineers working in HCMC and exports products worldwide. She hopes the city will reconsider its policy of allowing foreign enterprises to invest in public projects in HCMC.
Mr. Nguyen Ba Quynh, Vice Chairman of Hitachi Vantara Vietnam Group, made a straightforward suggestion at the conference. He said HCMC needs to focus on things that clearly demonstrate the utility and exploitation value of technology. For instance, regarding the city's AI development policy, he suggested the city develop a policy for AI as a service. This will encourage IT businesses to invest and provide services immediately.
Mr. Tran Phuc Hong, Deputy General Director of TMA Solutions, suggested HCMC focus on attracting investments to its active technology corporations. He also emphasized the need to bring HCMC's IT businesses abroad to attract foreign investment. He said that this year, the city should prioritize efforts to attract investment to fuel growth in the IT sector.
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Mr. Lam Nguyen Hai Long, Chairman of HCMC Computer Association (HCA), speaks at the meeting. (Photo: SGGP) |
Mr. Lam Nguyen Hai Long, Chairman of HCMC Computer Association (HCA), suggested that the city have a program to revitalize IT activities. He said that the city should initiate a program to position itself as a global destination in the field of IT and technology and then an international IT marketing program to promote the city's IT further.
According to Mr. Lam Nguyen Hai Long, HCMC had done a commendable job in the past with such initiatives, but these programs have gradually disappeared recently. He emphasized the need to revive the position of HCMC-based IT enterprises in the international market.
Following the recommendations made by IT enterprises during the conference, the Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee directed the Department of Information and Communications, the HCMC Computer Association, and related departments to make a plan in the second quarter of this year to organize an IT investment promotion conference and a program to promote HCMC's IT industry to the world.
“To address the issue of human resource development, the city will collaborate with universities, including the HCMC National University, to develop a long-term plan for IT human resource development. Additionally, the city will work with the Ministry of Education and Training to set better targets for IT human resource training in HCMC,” Mr. Phan Van Mai emphasized. Other issues will be dealt with by the city in a reasonable manner in collaboration with relevant departments.
The conference concluded with Mr. Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the People's Committee of HCMC, expressing his gratitude towards the IT businesses for their valuable inputs. He directed the relevant departments to gather and compile all the feedback from enterprises and provide them with a written response. This would demonstrate the city's commitment to supporting and collaborating with IT enterprises for city development.
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Delegates pose for a photo at the conference. (Photo: SGGP) |
