Irish IT firms seek partnerships in Viet Nam

Ireland’s strength in the information and communication technologies sector presented great potential for strengthening collaboration with its Vietnamese counterparts, the Irish ambassador to Viet Nam said during a business forum yesterday in HCM City.

Maeve Collins said she hoped the forum would help Irish and Vietnamese companies create new business partnerships.

Co-organised by Enterprise Ireland, Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Viet Nam Software Association, the forum was attended by representatives of eight Irish ICT and software companies.

Vo Tan Thanh, General Director of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry HCM City branch, said the telecom industry was growing rapidly in Viet Nam.

According to the General Statistics Office, the number of internet users and phone subscribers last year increased by 45.8 per cent and 62.3 per cent over 2008 to 22.8 million and 135 million, respectively, Thanh said.

Viet Nam had great potential for ICT develoment, he added.

Phi Anh Tuan of the Viet Nam Software Association (Vinasa) said his company wanted to develop the telecom sector by working with overseas companies.

More and more schools in Viet Nam were offering IT training and some universities had adopted international syllabi and curricula in IT teaching, he said. About 40,000 IT students graduate from universities and schools each year.

He said the Vietnamese Government was creating favourable conditions for ICT enterprises to operate, including a four-year corporate income tax exemption, VAT exemption on software products, a dedicated industrial zone for ICT companies, and improved intellectual property protection.

VIETNAMNEWS

Tags: Vietnam Ireland Cooperation, Vietnam IT, Vietnam IT industry