Seminar talks future of Vietnamese digital economy

Illustrative image (Source: FPT Corporation)

The event was co-organised by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and the Australia-based Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s Data 61 project. 

Speaking at the event, expert Nguyen Thu Nga from the VASS said the Vietnamese government has tapped into the potential of digital economy by issuing a master plan on the development of e-commerce and a national high technology development programme. 

The number of Internet subscribers soared 320-fold to 64 million in January 2018 from nearly 200,000 in 2000. 

Australian digital economy expert Jessica Antherton said digital economy is one of the pillars of economic growth as countries worldwide are embarking on the fourth industrial revolution. 

She pointed out seven key trends impacting the Vietnamese digital economy till 2040, including emerging digital technology that will improve production, further focus on cyber and private security, energy and infrastructure in service of digital network, smart city development, increase in the middle-income class in Asia, wider gap in income, and increase in the use of high-value products and services. 

There remains room to develop digital economy in the next two decades, but it should be directed cautiously, she said. 

Participants at the event discussed trends and risks affecting the Vietnamese digital economy and what Vietnam could do to avoid economic failures or crises in each scenario./.

VNA