Intel Corp. has signed an agreement with the Vietnamese government to improve accessibility of information technologies throughout the country, the company's CEO said.
Intel President Paul Otellini said the aim is to boost communication infrastructure across ministries, government, provinces and various organizations. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company also wants to help Vietnam develop a robust local IT industry and increase computerization in schools.
Vietnam is a "wakening dragon," he said during a press conference in Hanoi. "Its economic success will depend on how quickly PCs and affordable broadband connectivity are made available and how widely e-government, digital healthcare, an IT-literate workforce, local industry and digital province initiatives can be developed."
There are no current plans to build a plant in Vietnam, Otellini said.
Although he said the agreement includes no commercial intentions, Otellini added that the company is already enjoying growing sales in Vietnam. "Vietnam is the fastest-growing PC market" among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Otellini said. "That provides a very good opportunity in itself."
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2005
