Vietnam - Australia cooperate on digital economy
The minutes were signed by Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan and Australian Minister of Trade and Tourism Don Farrell on August 11, to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of digital economy.
Accordingly, the two countries agreed to promote interoperability between legal frameworks on the digital economy, based on international standards; share information and experiences on emerging technologies; At the same time, it creates conditions for business links and research activities between businesses and researchers of the two countries.
Priority cooperation groups proposed in the memorandum of understanding include: Digital commerce and digital economy regulations; Digital transformation, connectivity, infrastructure and investment; Develop digital skills.
The Ministry of Science and Technology is in charge of digital transformation issues, digital economy regulations, and digital skills, while Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade is in charge of e-commerce. On the Australian side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for coordination between relevant agencies.
One of the first contents mentioned is that the two sides will discuss policies related to personal data protection, data governance, cross-border data flows, online consumer protection and new legal issues in the digital economy.
In digital transformation, Vietnam and Australia plan to share policies, plans and experiences; develop digital platforms in fields such as finance, agriculture, transportation, education, health, banking, tourism, manufacturing and energy. The two sides also coordinate to prevent abuse of digital platforms to commit fraud or commit cybercrime.
The two countries also determined to coordinate information and experience sharing in digital infrastructure, such as undersea cables, data centers, cloud computing infrastructure and broadband networks. In addition, cooperation in existing programs will be enhanced to build capacity in key areas such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence, while promoting a safe online environment.
The minutes also mention capacity building, business connection, co-organizing events to promote the two sides' digital products and services, and sharing experiences to narrow the digital gap.
Regarding digital skills, Vietnam and Australia will share experiences in training and planning digital human resources in the public sector, improving digital skills for people, especially in rural and remote areas. The two sides also encourage cooperation between universities to develop high-tech human resources, especially in the field of information technology.
The Memorandum of Understanding on digital economy takes effect from the date of signing and lasts for 5 years. Specific activities will be agreed upon by both sides and implemented according to each program and project, within the scope of each country's laws and policies.
Luu Quy