Internet contributes 0.9 percent to total Vietnam ’s GDP and 1.6 percent to the country’s total 14.4 percent GDP growth.
This is part of a report by McKinsey & Company, which was released
in a conference themed, “The effects of the internet on economic
development in Vietnam ” held on Apr. 25 in Hanoi .
The report, called “Online and upcoming: The internet’s impacts on
rising countries”, is based on a survey conducted among 30 countries.
According to the report, the Internet also helps small
and medium enterprises increase business effectiveness by 19 percent.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of
Information and Communication, Le Nam Thang, said the internet has
developed strongly in Vietnam , with more than 30 million internet
users out of the nation’s total population of 87 million.
He said the robust growth of the telecommunication and information
technology sectors in recent years will potentially create breakthroughs
for the Vietnamese economy, helping Vietnam integrate more deeply
with the world.
The Vietnamese Government considers
the internet as an important national infrastructure, assisting other
sectors, he said.
However, Shaowei Ying, Vice
Director of McKinsey & Company’s Singapore office said electronic
commerce in Vietnam has not been adequately invested and exploited.
Vietnamese enterprises have not yet made full use of the internet to
maximise their effectiveness and reach more customers.
Participants at the conference suggested that in future the government
should promote investment in internet infrastructure and expand
coverage to rural areas.
They also recommended that
Vietnam strengthen its manufacture and exports of information
technology products in order to attract more foreign investment.-VNA