Singapore daily: Vietnam leads Asia-Pacific in pace of digital progress
Singapore’s daily Business Times said on November 2 that Vietnam’s digital transformation efforts have yielded the biggest improvement among regional economies.
Singapore (VNA)🌸 –Singapore’s daily Business Times said on November 2 that Vietnam’s digitaltransformation efforts haveyielded the biggest improvement among regional economies.
According to an industry study of 11 Asia-Pacific marketscarried out by the GSMA Intelligence, Vietnam saw the highest increase inscores between 2016 and 2019.
♚ Itslatest rating stood at 49 points for 2019, up by 12 points from three yearsbefore, which GSMA Intelligence attributed to notable improvements in theconnectivity component of the index, following the launch and rapid expansionof 4G networks.
Itwas also driven by improvements to the digital identity, digital citizenship anddigital lifestyle components, added the report. GSMA Intelligence noted that Vietnam is pursuing a nationalIndustry 4.0 strategy that includes infrastructure and human resources, as wellas e-government and innovation.
However, there are still challenges that need to be addressedto make further progress, particularly in the digital commerce component andwith regard to policies to support innovative startups, the reportadded. The 5G mobile technology is expected to make up 5 percent of wirelessconnections in Vietnam by 2025, well below the Asia-Pacific average of 23percent.
Indeed, Vietnam ranked just eighth overall, among of the 11markets surveyed. The rankings were topped by four “advanced” economies,with the Republic of Korea (RoK) in pole position at 78 points. Next up were Singapore,Australia and Japan.
The report classed Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Thailand andMalaysia as “transition” countries, while Pakistan and Bangladesh are“emerging”.
It said the gap remains significant. This underscores theneed for countries in the emerging category to do more to accelerateprogress.
♚ The study was based on input from government andindustry organisations in the markets of Australia, Bangladesh, India,Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, the RoK, Thailand andVietnam./.
Vietnam’s e-commerce market is forecast to climb 20 percent in the last quarter of this year to reach 12 billion USD by year end if the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control.
Digital transformation has been regarded as a crucial solution to help countries develop more rapidly and sustainably. This is part of the discussions at the International Telecommunication Union Virtual Digital World 2020 that took place online for three days.
As an active member of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN), Vietnam has built policies and made efforts to develop smart cities, considering this one of three key tasks in the national digital transformation process, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has stated.
High-quality human resources will play a decisive factor in the success of the country’s digital transformation process, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said at a conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on October 30.
Three Vietnamese engineers have won Gold Award at The Global AI Challenge for Building E&M Facilities 2025, held in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China).
With the government's strong direction and active participation from businesses and citizens, national digital transformation is deepening, with a focus on building a digital government, economy, and society.
VietNEST (Vietnamese Nurturing Education for Science & Traditions) is a mobile app and digital platform for Vietnamese language learning among overseas children.
The networks bring together universities, research institutes and domestic and foreign businesses. Members will work closely in training, research, and technology transfer by sharing curricula, improving faculty capacity, providing access to laboratories and research facilities, and jointly implementing science and technology projects.
The Better Choice Awards (BCA) 2025 is a key highlight in the lead-up to Vietnam Innovation Day that falls on October 1, an annual event expected to attract hundreds of innovative enterprises, research institutions, investment funds, and startups from both Vietnam and abroad.
The new line serves as a critical backup route, strategically complementing existing submarine cables and enhancing the resilience, proactivity, and security of Vietnam’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Vietnam is actively yet cautiously preparing for the construction of its first nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan (now the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa). The resumption of the programme after years of suspension carries considerable significance for the nation’s development in a new era as it strives to gradually reduce and ultimately phase out coal-fired power to realise the Government’s commitment to Net Zero by 2050.
The government leader reaffirmed Vietnam’s goal of achieving self-reliance in the design, manufacturing, and test of necessary semiconductor chips by no later than 2027.
With the launching of its two-tier local administration model, the city is incorporating technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain to enhance service delivery for citizens and businesses, aligning with the Politburo’s Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation.
Vietnam has issued many key policies to support semiconductor development, notably the Politburo’s Resolution 57 on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. Other initiatives include the Semiconductor Industry Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050, and the Human Resources Development Programme for the Semiconductor Industry.
Vietnam is no longer just an emerging blockchain market, it is stepping into a leadership role, with global investors, developers, and experts recognising its growing potential to become a leading hub for digital assets in the region.
Taking place on August 1–2, the event features more than 20,000 attendees and over 200 speakers from Vietnam, the h Korea, Singapore, the UAE, Hong Kong (China) and the US.
Dung directed the Ministry of Science and Technology to revise the national startup scheme, ensuring it clearly defines the scope and content, grounded on strong political and legal foundations, international best practices, and well-reasoned arguments for submission to the Government.
The two-day academic forum, themed “Resilience, Sustainability & Digital Transformation in a Changing World: Perspectives from Southeast Asia”, aims to share interdisciplinary research insights, focusing on adaptive capacity, sustainable development, and digital transformation amid evolving global and regional landscapes.
With such a rapid economic growth, Vietnam must diversify energy sources and nuclear power is a rational choice to ensure the national energy security, said Associate Professor Kei Koga from the Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung emphasised that Vietnam has a clear strategy and ambition in this field, and is rapidly emerging as a central hub and key link in the regional and global semiconductor value chains.
According to Cushman & Wakefield’s latest Asia-Pacific Data Centre Investment Landscape report, Vietnam now ranks second in the region for data centre investment returns, with a yield on cost (YoC) of 17.5–18.8%, just behind Singapore’s 21–23%.
Vietnam is taking drastic yet cautious steps in building a culture of nuclear safety and security, with the aim of having its first nuclear power plant operational by the end of 2030 and using this specific energy source effectively and sustainably.
Vietnam’s 5G strategy has been clearly outlined in national digital technology and infrastructure policies. A wide range of solutions is being vigorously implemented to achieve the target of an average internet speed of 100 Mbps by 2025 and full nationwide 5G coverage by 2030.
Illustrative image (Photo: Business Times) 
