According to Vu Van Ninh, Vice Chairman of the city's People's Committee, IT would help accelerate the process of industrialisation and modernisation in the region's provinces and cities.
The northern key economic region represents 3.3 percent of the country's total acreage of about 330,000 sq. km, and 11 percent of the national population of 81 million. The region recorded an annual GDP growth rate of 9 percent with the proportion of industries and services in GDP reaching 90 percent. The region contributed about 16 percent to the country's GDP, 28 percent to budget remittances, and 16 percent to export turnover. In its development plan, the region targets an annual GDP growth rate 33 percent higher than the national average target for the 2006-2010 period. It will also increase its annual export turnover per capita from 447 USD in 2005 to 1,200 USD in 2010 and 9,200 USD in 2020.
At a recent workshop on the region's development, experts said the region should consider the IT industry a spearhead economic sector to produce products and services that are highly competitive to reach the targets. The development of e-commerce should be encouraged to assist local businesses to join the regional and international markets. In addition, all localities in the region should build their e-government networks in the 2006-2010 period.
In recent years, localities in the region have worked out their own plans and projects to develop the information infrastructure. However, a joint plan is still lacking for IT application in the whole region.
The workshop proposed that Ha Noi should work together with provinces of Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Ha Tay, Vinh Phuc and Bac Ninh in developing a regional on-line information system in order to share information on management, socio-economic development plans, businesses and markets.
Quelle: Viet Nam News Agency, 26.09.2005
