President asks Viettel to maintain role as leading economic group

President Võ Văn Thưởng is introduced high-tech products of Viettel during his working visit to the group. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — President Võ Văn Thưởng emphasised that the Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) must always maintain its role as the leading economic group of the country and become a model for State-owned enterprises.

He made these remarks during his working visit at Viettel’s headquarters in Hà Nội on Thursday.

At the meeting, Viettel Chairman and General Director Tào Đức Thắng briefed him about the achievements of Viettel in 2023.

Viettel’s revenue last year reached over VNĐ172 trillion (US$7.04 billion), a growth of 5.4 per cent compared to the previous year, contributing nearly VNĐ39 trillion ($1.59 billion) to the State budget.

Viettel invested in 10 markets across three continents, holding the top position in telecommunications market share in seven markets.

Viettel constructed two national-scale infrastructures, including high-speed broadband telecommunications infrastructure with an international optical fibre system connecting China, Laos, Cambodia, and undersea fibre optic cables linking Asia, Europe and the US. The company also established 5G network infrastructure present in all 63 cities and provinces, he said.

Viettel collaborated with the Government in implementing the national digital transformation programme. In 2023, based on Việt Nam’s database in the Vietnamese language, Viettel developed a Vietnamese-language virtual assistant for Vietnamese public officials. In 2024, the group sets the goal to create a virtual assistant in Vietnamese for every Vietnamese citizen, he added.

Notably, Thắng said, Viettel is the core in building Việt Nam’s high-tech national defence industry. Viettel completed the research and production of the 5G product ecosystem, putting Việt Nam among the top five countries leading in 5G technology.

Viettel also researched and produced over 50 types of products in 10 high-tech weapon equipment sectors, following the most modern C5ISR warfare model globally.

As of now, Viettel owns 136 patent rights in Việt Nam and 30 patent rights in the US, all developed independently by Vietnamese experts, he said.

The representatives of the corporation also introduced the President to Viettel’s various products.

During the working session, President Thưởng praised Viettel as the leading economic group in the country and a model of a state-owned enterprise operating in a market mechanism, demonstrating innovation, efficiency and pioneering efforts in telecommunications, information technology and high-tech defence industries.

The President highlighted Viettel’s active role as a key factor in the telecommunications boom in Việt Nam, contributing to the development of Việt Nam’s electronics industry, leading in the 5G sector, and aiming for advancements in 6G technology.

In addition to its economic responsibilities, he urged Viettel to focus on contributing to the country’s foreign affairs. He emphasised the importance of researching and producing high-tech weapons and equipment suitable for modern warfare and technological contexts.

The President also suggested that Viettel should continue to play a pioneering role in shaping the digital government, digital society and digital economy. This includes research and production of telecommunications equipment, with a focus on network devices, development of cybersecurity tools and solutions, and ensuring network security, including safeguarding national sovereignty in cyberspace.

Furthermore, the President recommended that Viettel should increase its investments in telecommunications abroad and export services globally.

He emphasised the need for business operations to ensure high efficiency, adhere to social responsibilities, respect the rule of law, and continually improve the material and spiritual lives of the workforce.

President Thưởng also urged Viettel to continue training a workforce with intelligence, resilience, and the ability to research, apply and master science and technology in various situations, contributing to the development of Viettel and the nation as a whole. — VNS