Minister of Information and Communications Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng said that in 2024, the ministry will focus on key tasks, including the development of digital infrastructure and digital applications to boost the digital economy, creating new momentum for economic growth and labour productivity.

Presenting the report during the conference on reviewing activities in 2023 and launch tasks in 2024 held by the Ministry of Information and Communications on Friday, Hùng highlighted some notable results of the information technology and communication (ICT) sector in 2023.

Notably, the total revenue of the entire sector reached VNĐ3.74 quadrillion, an increase of 1.49 per cent compared to 2022.

In addition, the sector contributed approximately VNĐ99.3 trillion ($4.09 billion) to the State budget.

According to the ministry, the 2023’s national digital transformation campaign with the dual goal of developing the digital government, digital economy, and digital society, as well as fostering the growth of strong digital technology enterprises in Việt Nam has achieved positive results.

Efforts to build and improve the legal framework continue to be prioritised, with the Electronic Transactions Law and the Telecommunications Law being passed by the 15th National Assembly.

In the postal sector, Việt Nam witnessed the explosion of e-commerce, contributing to driving the digital economy. Postal service revenue reached VNĐ58.9 trillion ($2.42 billion), a 9.3 per cent increase compared to 2022.

In terms of telecommunications and digital infrastructure, despite being a developing country with low average income, Việt Nam has made significant strides with 4G coverage rate higher than that of developed countries, reaching 99.8 per cent.

Currently, the ministry is conducting 5G trials in 59 localities, with a 99.8 per cent population coverage rate for 4G. The percentage of smartphone users out of the total mobile phone users continues to increase to 84.4 per cent. This is the sector's effort to achieve the goal of 100 per cent smartphone users by the end of 2024.

Digital technology revenue reached $142 billion, with Việt Nam accounting for 28.7 per cent of the total value. Approximately 1,500 digital technology enterprises generated revenue from the international market, an increase of nearly 4 per cent compared to 2022.

Concerning internet information security, it remains a bright spot as citizens are now fundamentally protected in cyberspace. The national harmful domain detection and prevention system has blocked 9,073 law-violating websites, including 2,603 scam websites, protecting over 10 million people from accessing illegal and fraudulent online sites.

Regarding the publishing sector, the market revenue for audiobooks was recorded at over VNĐ102 billion, doubling compared to 2022. The rate of publishers registering activities for electronic publishing is estimated to reach 40.3 per cent, exceeding the plan by 20 per cent; the number of electronic book titles published during the year is estimated at 4,600, a 31.4 per cent increase, bringing the e-book ratio to 15.3 per cent of the total published products.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang affirmed the crucial role that the information technology sector plays in Việt Nam, as digital transformation is both a goal and a driving force for the country's development. "In this context, digital transformation is a vital part of administrative reform," he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that bridging the gap with developed countries could only be achieved through science, technology, digital transformation, and innovation. However, he also pointed out that one of the biggest obstacles to digital transformation was the institutional and policy framework.

Apart from formulating regulations, amending outdated decrees, the ministry needed to swiftly and urgently develop new decrees and regulations, ensuring that they meet the required standards, he said.

For specific sectors, especially those requiring special mechanisms, Deputy PM Quang noted the importance of tailored mechanisms.

Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister urged the ICT sector to rectify and put an end to media irregularities, implement the second phase of the National Development and Management Plan for the Press until 2025 to reorganise media agencies, and pay more attention to book publishing, as books always hold value in social life. — VNS