HCMC: hi-tech industry popular with investors

Many world leading hi-tech groups such as Intel from the US , Nidec from Japan and German based multi-national Bosch are increasing the scale of their investment in Ho Chi Minh City , an indication of how attractive the hi-tech industry has become to investors.

Intel Vietnam said it would officially inaugurate the first phase of its largest global micro-chip plant, with an investment capital of 1 billion USD, at the Ho Chi Minh City Hi-tech Zone later this month.

The first batch of Intel chips worth 120 million USD is expected to be exported later this year.

Also in October, Bosch Vietnam will have its software research and production centre in Ho Chi Minh City up and running, the company’s second major production facility in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to Bosch Vietnam ’s Managing Director Vo Quang Hue, by the end of this year, the company will have begun the first phase of a 24 million USD auto-parts factory in Long Thanh district, Dong Nai. It also plans to inject an additional 30 million VND to finish the factory by 2015.

Vietnam is now the only Southeast Asian market where Bosch are involved in all three stages, research, production and sales.

Despite operating four projects in HCM City , with a combined investment of nearly 500 million USD, Nidec President Nagomori Shigennobu still says his company will continue with its investment, research and development activities in the HCM City Hi-tech Zone, as well as call on its Japanese partners to invest more in this field.

According to the General Secretary of the Vietnam Electronics Businesses Association Tran Quang Hung, the presence of foreign groups in the hi-tech industry creates opportunities for Vietnamese workers to learn and improve their skills and gradually expand the number of subsidiaries producing components for overseas companies in the next 5-10 years.

Many small and medium sized Vietnamese companies investing in the hi-tech industry could also become partners of foreign groups to manufacture spare parts and help to improve the country’s competitiveness in this sector, he added.

Vietnam has several advantages over other regional countries, such as cheap labour costs and a convenient location for transporting goods to other markets in the Asia-Pacific region, said Hue, adding that in order to develop its hi-tech industry, the country should define itself as a destination for large manufacturers.

VNPT shortlisted for Broadband Awards

The Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has been short-listed for the ‘Changing Lives’ awards - one of the 10 prizes up for grabs at the Broadband Infovision Awards 2010.

The jury selected VNPT thanks to its initiatives and solutions for developing broadband infrastructures and services in Vietnam during 2009 and 2010.

Holding the largest broadband market share in Vietnam , at 75 percent, the group has narrowed the “digital gap” between urban and rural areas, changing people’s lives by giving them access to the internet and the knowledge-based economy.

VNPT will compete against three rivals – Columbus Networks, Saudi Telecoms and Telstra, for the award.

The Broadband Infovision Award is a world-acclaimed prize which is presented annually by the UK ’s Informa communications group. It attracts major telecoms corporations and operators from all over the world.

53 entrants have been listed for this year’s awards, covering 10 categories including best new service; broadband access network technologies and services; broadband network and services management and operations; content, entertainment, applications and services; broadband home: appliances, devices, home networks and services; enabling silicon and component-level technologies; network innovation; green broadband; broadband innovation of the year and broadband that changes lives.

Within the framework of the Awards, a Broadband World Forum will also be held in France , from October 26-28, with 200 executives from the world’s leading telecoms groups attending.

Facebook looks to grow Vietnam presence

Facebook says it wants to grow its presence in Vietnam, despite concerns that foreign diplomats and others have raised about access to the site.

In a job posting on its website, the world's most popular social networking site said it is seeking a manager for policy and growth in the country.

Facebook's job posting says it is seeking someone fluent in English and Vietnamese, and who is comfortable "in ambiguous situations". The 12-month contract position, based in Hanoi, calls for someone with "experience in government relations work".

Vietnam's Internet growth is among the world's fastest, and users number almost 24 million or about 28 per cent of the population, according to a government spokeswoman who has called concerns over free expression groundless.

In May the government launched a pilot version of its own social networking site, go.vn (www.goonline.vn), calling it the country's biggest-ever IT project.

Japan, Vietnam reach nuclear cooperation deal

Japan said on Friday it had agreed with Vietnam to cooperate on nuclear power plant technologies and materials, as Tokyo competes with nuclear exporters such as France and South Korea.

Reuters quoted Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara as saying that leaders from the two nations would confirm the deal when Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan visits Vietnam at the end of the month.

Japan, the world's third-biggest nuclear power generator after the United States and France, is stepping up efforts to tap the nuclear power development market after a Japan-U.S. consortium lost out to South Korea in a deal to build and operate nuclear reactors for the United Arab Emirates in December.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, at a separate news conference, said the framework of the deal includes rules to restrict Vietnam from supplying Japanese nuclear technology to other countries.

A new atomic technology export body, a joint venture of 13 Japanese firms, was formed on Friday, and Jiji news agency said the head of the organization may visit Vietnam when the prime minister attends a meeting of Asian leaders in Hanoi next week.

The new company, capitalized at 200 million yen (US$2.46 million), was set up power companies and nuclear plant builders such as Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), Chubu Electric Power Co, Kansai Electric Power Co, Toshiba Corp, Hitachi Ltd and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Source: VNA, Thanh nien, Tuoitrenews