Vietnam’s top 10 ICT events of 2019 announced

Hanoi (VNA) – The ICT Press Club on December 26 announced the top 10 information, communications and technology (ICT) events in 2019 voted by more than 50 leading journalists in the field.

1. Politburo issues resolution on Fourth Industrial Revolution

On September 27, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong signs Resolution 52-NQ/TW on a number of policies on the nation’s proactive engagement in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. (Photo: VNA)

The Politburo issued a resolution with guidelines and policies to ensure active participation in Industry 4.0 on September 27.

Some goals set by 2025 are to maintain the ranking of global innovation index (GII) of the top three among ASEAN countries; to build digital infrastructure to the advanced level of ASEAN and to provide 100 percent of communes with broadband internet.

Other goals include the digital economy accounting for 20 percent of GDP, labour productivity increasing 7 percent on average per year and basically completing digital transformation in Party and State agencies and other socio-political organisations.

2. MobiFone-AVG trial opens

A view of the Hanoi trial for the AVG case. (Photo: VNA)

The Hanoi People's Court opened a trial on December 16 for the 14 defendants related to telecoms group MobiFone buying 95 percent of Audio Visual Global (AVG) for an inflated price.

The Ministry of Information and Communications is the representing agency and owner of State capital at MobiFone, responsible for directing MobiFone in project implementation, approving investment project upon investment decision of the Prime Minister.

The defendants are accused of violations in proposing investment projects and evaluating financial and business of AVG, causing a serious damage to properties of the State worth more than 6.5 trillion VND (nearly 281 million USD).

3. Vietnam declares its 'Make in Vietnam' strategy

Ministry of Information and Telecommunications Nguyen Manh Hung speaks at the first National Forum on Developing Vietnam Technology Companies in 2019. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Vietnam announced the 'Make in Vietnam' strategy and organised a national-scale workshop to implement this strategy this year.

Before the strategy was launched, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc called on the Vietnamese business community to promote patriotism and help build a strong and prosperous Vietnam.

4. Vietnam tests 5G network

Viettel makes the first official connection to a 5G mobile network in Vietnam on May 10. Immediately, other Vietnamese network operators also announced successful 5G testing and that they would be ready to commercialise next year. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Viettel made the first official connection to a 5G mobile network in Vietnam on May 10.

Immediately after Viettel, other Vietnamese network operators also announced successful 5G testing and that they would be ready to commercialise next year.

5G testing event this year is a statement of Vietnam's ICT industry that it will not continue to be left behind, but will keep pace with countries like the US, Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

5. Ministry of Information and Communications tightens control over Google and Facebook

Illustrative photo. (Source: AFP)

In 2019, the Ministry of Information and Communications had many meetings to reorganise advertising on cross-border platforms like Google and Facebook.

The ministry said it would use legal, economic and technical measures to require these platforms to comply with Vietnamese laws.

6. National Public Service Portal debuts

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc launches the National Public Service Portal. (Photo: VNA)

The National Public Service Portal debuted on December 9, marking an important milestone in Vietnam's public administrative reforms.

By 2020, the portal is set to provide at least 30 percent of main online public services.

In the following years, it will offer additional 20 percent of levels-3 and -4 online public services of ministries, branches and localities each year.

7. Government okays piloting mobile money

Illustrative photo. (Source: Courteville Business Solution Plc)

In early 2019, the Ministry of Information and Communications proposed allowing mobile network operators to provide mobile money services and the Government agreed to run a pilot project to provide this service.

Following the Prime Minister's approval, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), together with the Ministry of Information and Communications, instructed telecom firms to seek permission from the SBV to offer the service on a trial basis.

8. Vietnamese social networks rolled out

The social network Lotus is launched on September 16. Lotus was one of three Vietnamese social networks - Gapo and VCCorp - that debuted in 2019. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

2019 marked the launch of many made-in-Vietnam social networks. Vietnam’s Gapo was launched on July 23 and VCCorp launched its social network Lotus on September 16.

9. Phase two of trillion-dong online gambling trial

Defendants at the trial. (Photo: VNA)

The People's Court of Phu Tho province on November 25 opened the trial of Dang Anh Tuan, former chief inspector of the Ministry of Information and Communications, on charges of abusing his position and power.

According to the indictment, the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Information and Communications discovered 14 online games with signs of engaging in illegal gambling in October 2016, so an inspection team was set up to investigate into the case.

Tuan is accused of directing the report maker to shut down the inspection team.

Former Director General of the Police General Department Phan Van Vinh and former Director of the High-tech Crime Police Department Nguyen Thanh Hoa are also among the 92 officials prosecuted.

10. Government launches e-Cabinet system

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chair a e-Cabinet meeting. (Photo: VNA)

The e-Cabinet system came into operation on June 24.

With the system, the Government Office can simply and quickly gather opinions of Government members.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the e-Cabinet system marked another major step in Vietnam’s use of information technology./.