At his meeting with Microsoft Director General Steve Ballmer in Hanoi on May 24, the PM expressed his delight to see the cooperation between Vietnamese software producers and Microsoft growing rapidly in recent times, bringing practical benefits to both sides.

He stressed that Vietnam’s IT development strategy is focused on developing the software industry, training human resources and building a modern IT infrastructure.

The government leader said he expects that Microsoft and Vietnamese partners will discuss in detail their cooperation to bring about a positive and effective change in Vietnam’s information technology industry.

He highly valued the efficient operation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has so far funded a series of healthcare and education programmes for the poor in Vietnam.

The PM suggested that the foundation continue deploying its programmes designed for Vietnam in the coming time, especially those facilitating human resource training and internet connection in rural areas.

Expressing his joy to revisit Vietnam, Steve Ballmer noted that three years after Microsoft signed cooperative agreements with its Vietnamese partners, Vietnam’s IT and communication industry has made outstanding gains in internet development and IT application.

The Microsoft executive said his group will undergo upgrade and renewal in the coming time so it wishes to work more closely with Vietnam’s relevant ministries and agencies not only in education and training and the development of software solutions but also in other fields.

The executive spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts in protecting copyrights and intellectual property and pledged that his group will sell its products in Vietnam at reasonable prices in the future.