A view at the 10th APEC Telecommunications and Information Ministerial Meeting. (Photo: VNA)
The 10th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Telecommunications and Information Ministerial Meeting (APEC TELMIN 10) endorsed the APEC Telecommunications and Information (APEC TEL) Working Group Strategic Action Plan for 2016-2020 on March 31.
Priority areas in the 5-year action plan include developing and supporting innovations in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), promoting the formation of a secure and trusted ICT environment and fostering regional integration and the development of digital and internet economies.
APEC’s vision is to create an integrated, trusted and reliable digital ecosystem and an upgraded technology infrastructure alongside facilitating the widely use of information technology (IT) and improved ICT capability by 2020.
Under the plan, member economies will be able to increase the availability and effective use of IT infrastructure in the region, in a bid to not only speed up regional integration but also spur sustainable and comprehensive economic growth.
At the 2-day meeting, APEC Ministers also held talks with industry leaders and experts on APEC TEL’s vision for the future.
In his speech, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications (MIC) Pham Hong Hai stressed the importance of equal opportunity for everyone to access ICT services as well as the necessity to develop mobile broadband infrastructure and a proper business model between content and service providers, particularly among overseas content providers.
He also shared Vietnam’s achievements in expanding its local broadband networks and the governmental effort to improve legal frameworks and policies towards an equal and competitive environment.
MIC Deputy Minister held a working session with the United States delegation led by Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Catherine A. Novelli on the sidelines of the meeting to discuss future cooperation in information technology and communication between the two countries in particular.
The APEC TELMIN 10 took place from March 30-31 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, drawing the participation of around 200 delegates from 19 APEC member economies.
Earlier, the APEC Telecommunications and Information Senior Officials’ Meeting was held between March 26 and 28 in Malaysia.
NDO/ VNA
