The HCM City People’s Committee and military-owned telecom group Viettel on March 24 signed agreements to develop the southern metropolis into a smart city by 2025.

Under the agreements, six in all, Viettel will help improve the city's ranking in the Digital Transformation Index and organise digital transformation training and propagation programmes for city leaders and officials to raise awareness.

Viettel will also share experiences in applying digital transformation to management, operation and production for businesses and corporations under the City Party Committee and the People's Committee, digital transformation solutions in the fields of healthcare, education, traffic, environment, natural resources, logistics, and e-commerce.

The collaboration will also focus on R&D activities related to designing and manufacturing microchips.

Deputy secretary of the city Party Committee, Phan Van Mai, said the collaboration to build a smart city is vital since the city is working towards sustainable development based on high value-added industries.

The use of technology would help solve some of the city’s biggest issues, he added. — VNS