Symposium on building smart cities in Vietnam

As Vietnam faces many obstacles to developing smart cities, the ministry will work with agencies to build mechanisms, policies and instructions in the field, he said.

Trends and global experience in building smart cities were outlined to participants.

They proposed building a set of criteria to evaluate the efficiency of the project while encouraging using information-technology and database sharing.

Vietnam should design regulations on infrastructure development in association with smart urban management, the participants said.

They urged the Ministry of Information and Communication to coordinate with ministries, departments and businesses to helps cities and provinces build smart cities.

In Vietnam, urban areas make up 10 percent of the country’s land but contribute more than 70 percent to gross domestic product (GDP). Five centrally-run cities account for 50 percent of GDP.

Nearly 20 cities and provinces have launched projects to build smart cities, while information, technology and communication businesses have signed deals with localities in this sphere.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s Decision No.1819/QD-TTg approved as part of the national programme to apply information-technology in State companies aims to build at least three smart cities. 

Meanwhile, Government Resolution No.5/NQ-TW outlines policies to push ahead with growth model reform and improve growth quality, labour productivity, and competitiveness of the economy as well as some priorities in developing smart cities.

The PM has directed the Ministry of Information and Communication to work with the Ministry of Construction to issue criteria to evaluate and recognise smart cities, whilst guiding localities to ensure effective investment to avoid waste and economic losses.