Vietnam wants to strengthen its cooperation with the Intel Corporation in its efforts to become a powerful country in information technology (IT).

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung delivered this massage during a reception given to the Intel Corporation Chairman, Craig Barrett, in the capital city of Hanoi on April 9.

“Vietnam attaches great importance to IT development during the national development process,” the government leader stressed.

He said IT is considered an advantage to improve the competitiveness of the national economy.

Applauding Barrett’s visit, PM Dung spoke highly of Intel’s efforts to pursue its investment project in Ho Chi Minh City, assist the country in IT training and supply low-priced computers to teachers and students.

The Government of Vietnam eyes Intel’s investment project in HCM City, regarding it a major foreign investment project which has an important role in the country’s economic development, he said.

The PM proposed that Barrett continue his direction to ensure the progress of the project and help Vietnam develop IT human resources as well as workforce for the future Intel plant, and provide affordable computers for local schools and hospitals.

PM Dung also affirmed support for Intel’s application of advanced technologies and deployment of cooperation programmes with Vietnamese universities.

Barrett said he was impressed with Vietnam’s growth, especially its progress in IT infrastructure development.

A strong education system and well-built IT infrastructure will help improve economic competiveness edge of a country, he said, adding that Vietnam has been on the right track, particularly development of 3G communications technology will create a new stride in wireless communications.

The Intel chairman asserted that the corp.’s investment project in HCM City will be completed on schedule and Intel will cooperate closely with Vietnam in education-training and IT and communication infrastructure development.

Barrett informed PM Dung of the signing of an agreement between Intel and the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training on April 9 to support the latter’s e-learning initiative.

Under the agreement, Intel will supply 1 million computers, each worth just 220 USD, for teacher and university students throughout Vietnam. The corp. will also send Vietnamese IT students to the US for further training, he said./.